Perfect Apple Pie

    I have been blessed to have been brought up in restaurants run by my parents, with each proficient and an expert in their respective kitchen areas. My Mom was the hardest working baker I have ever met and she never put out a dessert, pastry or bread products that weren't perfect. She did every single thing by scratch and, although it irked me in a childish way, she constantly washed her caked-on doughy hands in my clean dish water, it only meant that she used her sense of touch along with sight to properly prepare biscuits and pie doughs by hand.

   My Dad, as you all know, was my god-like idol as well. Even though he had his demons, and I had mine later in life, he was never-ending work-a-holic and knew more than any other man when it came to the kitchen. I think it had to do with him climbing the ladder to his position, rather than starting out at some high brow cooking school.

   The one attribute he had that I admired him for was his love of reading. Although he enjoyed reading fiction  mostly, he read nonfiction as well because he always told me to never stop learning.

   I never did enjoy reading fiction, but nonfiction...pile it on, especially if it had to do with how our ancestors cooked, the way they lived in backwoods New England and the daily bread they enjoyed. I admire them for the hard work involved when it came to something as simple as bread, cider, raising crops and the like because they didn't simply go to market to purchase ingredients to make pastries and pies, but grew their own wheat and made their own flour from the ground up. Much like how my Dad and I learned the four corners of the kitchen and restaurant. That is why I consider myself one of the most informed and knowledgeable New England food historians out there. If you choose what you read because you love to read about it, then the more you read and the more you WANT to read!

   So comes the purpose of this blog post. I have been blessed with opportunities my father would have adored to be part of, a food judge. In particular, a Yankee food judge. And especially an apple pie food judge.

   I just was invited to be a judge at the Great Maine Apple Day in Unity, Maine. And it was here that I decided to write my first article on apple pie because of the varied and delicious apple products that were available at this event. It was also here that I tasted what is the best apple pie I have ever tried and judged. Yup, in the middle of nowhere Maine, I took a bite of the most flavorfully balanced apple pie out of the 1000-plus pies I have judged. The reasons it was the best? Because they stuck to my Puritan ideals and preparation, which not many people do anymore. I hate to say it, but the closer you come to how apple pie was originally made, the better it will be. Never mind the fancy decorative crust or the new-fangled baking pan, if you stick with the following information, you will end up with a pie that our New England ancestors enjoyed and at the same time, conclude with the most delicious pie you have ever made.

1. First understand that apple pie was originally called apple tarts and had only 1 crust, and it was on top. They were called coffins for a long period of time as well. The crust was called a paste and as mentioned, only sat on top before baking. But obviously when entering a contest or even preparing an apple pie at home, you would want a bottom crust. There are so many handed down recipes for keeping the bottom crust from getting soggy during baking and, although some may say their way is fool proof, there truly is only one way of keeping it from getting soggy. And that is with the right pie pan. 
   Many bakers and even professional pastry chefs have their own "tricks" but honestly, by using the right pan is the only true method. Toss those earthenware pie plates right to the side! They do not conduct enough heat fast enough to prevent a soggy bottom. That basically leaves 2 types. An aluminum and glass. 

   If you have a glass pyrex pie pan, use it! It conducts heat quickly and evenly and browns the pie up almost perfectly. I can't say enough about glass cookware and especially when baking apple pie.

   Aluminum pans are my choice. There are two kinds of aluminum pans, disposable and non disposable. Each work great by for the BEST, use disposable because they are thin enough to heat up faster than any pan on the market but they have a con to it. Once baked, you are going to have a dickens of a time cutting the pie without cutting the pan itself. I simply put the pan in the earthern ware pie pan before cutting, hahahaha. Hey, found a use for that expensive pan after all. 

2. Apple sizes. Make sure you cut your apples thinly and with each piece as close to the same size as possible. That is half the reason(the other half below)why some of the apple pie is mushy while other bites are done perfectly. Never mind dicing or cutting huge chunks of apple. They will not cook at the same speed as you want your crust to brown.

3. The right apple or apples. While everyone and their mother will tell you to use Granny Smith, please try a different apple. There are a number or reasons why apples mush when baking, with the main being its cellular structure and ph level. Apples get mushy because of its pectin amount. You want the apple to hold its shape once it hits 184-degrees F because that is the temperature at which the cell walls start collapsing. Try Pink Lady, Braeburn, Honey Crisp, Cameo, Fuji and Granny Smiths. Try using 2, 3, 4 or more different apples in each pie. 
   Want to help prevent the cell walls from collapsing into mush? My secret it to prepare my apples, place in a large bowl or pot and pour boiling water over them. Immediately cover tightly and let sit for 15 minutes, then drain very well and cool enough to continue with recipe. This "pre-poaching" transforms the natural pectin into a more heat stable type and helps TREMENDOUSLY from turning to mush.

4. The crust. Now I will tell you what made the pie at the Great Maine Apple Day exceptional. The baker knew that it wasn't the flakiness of the crust that made it perfect, but the time she took to cook the pie. This ultimate search for a flaky pie crust is something fairly new and played no role in apple pie making for centuries. Heck, even biscuits should NOT be flaky. It was the advent of machines and preparation techniques using these machines that flaky products first took hold because they could be made in layer upon layer upon layer without human hands, thereby shortening labor.

Can you mimic this(or close to it) on YOUR apple pie?

   No sir...the kind of crust you are after in an apple pie is the type of crust that reminds me of an artisan bread straight from hot oven. Dark brown, super crispy without tasting burnt and with the taste of what a true Maillard reaction should taste. The Maillard reacton is what happens when the natural sugars in a product turn the resulting food brown. It will never create a burnt taste. And to give your crust a soft and delectable texture, use an acid. Many chefs use vinegar or lemon juice with their water when making crust, and both are great. But I use ice cold orange juice...INSTEAD OF WATER. Perfect, perfect, perfect.  A true compliment to that artisan taste. And remember that it isn't just the edge, or rim, of the pie that should be dark brown, the entire top of the pie should be as well. The top of the pie should be irregular, not smooth. 
   I also think it is a form of cheating when you glaze the top with egg white, any dairy product or anything that will hasten the browning of the crust, even a spice. If you can bake an apple pie and believe in your talents, forgo these "cheats" and do it the right way.
   Having too many large bubbles popping up when baking? Only to be completely hollow when you slice into it? Be sure to properly vent to the top. This also helps in the pie liquid thickening and reducing. 

(Amelia Simmons in her cookbook only had two ingredients in her pie paste(crust). 2 pounds of flour to 3/4 pound of butter. 

5. Butter pats right on top of the apples. We Yankees have been adding butter to apple pie for millenia. If you add 6 teaspoon sized butter pats placed evenly around the top of the pie before the crust, it will taste like heaven. A HUGE difference.


6. Seasonings, seasonings, seasonings...wait, too many seasonings! Many, and I do mean many, cooks add so much seasoning, the apples get lost. I do understand that our day and age, sugar is found in every single thing, in one form or the other. Candy counters have more types of sugar-laden sweets than I ever thought possible when I was a child. Desserts, treats, pastries and more are easily obtainable at a cheap price now than when I was a child as well. That is why our palates are craving sugar at a much higher rate than in decades past. (This is why I came out with It's Just That Simple brand of products, but that is for another time)
   We tend to crave sugar and spices too much now. So when using cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves or nutmeg, just add enough to accent the apples, not bury them(Didn't Marc Antony once say that about apple pies....no, that was Caesar)
   I use only 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon per 5 cups thinly sliced apples per pie. I also add 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon allspice. Try mace for a true Yankee flavor. Use the same amount as you would allspice and omit the nutmeg. Mace is almost exactly the same flavor profile as nutmeg, but more intense.
   (Want to know a little tidbit that will actually turn an apple pie into something special? Rose water. Yup, our ancestors used this in apple pies and it truly is a great addition. Yes, you can still buy real rosewater as well online.


   As for a thickener, I use cornstarch and a hair over a tablespoon per pie. I mix the cornstarch with the seasoning and toss the apples all together before putting them in the shell. If you prefer flour, use 1/4 cup per pie. I don't like using flour because there is much more of a chance you are going to have flour lumps in the pie.


   Now when I say that unfortunately I am a purist, a Puritan purist to be precise, it gives me pause at times. It makes me seem old fashioned and not ready for taste elevations that today's chefs may bring to the table. I really do like different tastes, originality and new flavor combinations. But I also want the true essence of the dish or main ingredient to shine through, as it should. I want to taste the centuries gone by when the sweetness of the fruit was in front of the sugar used. I want the flavor of the main ingredient to hit me before any other spice. I want a crust that is meant for an apple pie and if there is one thing out of all these ingredients and preparation methods that really should not change is the way the crust was "back in the day". After all, if it ain't broke, don't use duct tape on it...or something like that. 


   I could go on and on about that perfect apple pie, but it truly does take patience and trial and error to make a pie that you enjoy personally and one that will be a proud addition to your families heritage. But these are the basic precepts when making that phenomenal apple pie and these tips come from a long line of chefs and a true New England bookworm. 

Yeah....This May Be Boring To Most Of You....

.....but I LOVE this stuff. To read the centuries old cookbooks and way of the lives of our ancestors could keep me occupied for hours on end. One of my favorite cookbooks is, of course, a Yankee cookbook dated 1772 called The Frugal Housewife. But this isn't even the oldest cookbook I have. Enjoy these excerpts for some ancient cookbooks in my library, verbatim, misspellings and all.

To Make Lumber Pie: Take a pound and a half fillet of veal, mince it with the same quantity of beef suet, season it with sweet spice, five pippins, a handful of spinach and a hard lettuce, thyme and parsley, Mix with it a penny loaf grated and the yolks of two or three eggs, sack and orange-flower water, sweet spice, a pound and a half currents and preserves, and a caudle.
                                                                                                               The Frugal Housewife, 1772.
　


Hashed Venison: Should be warmed with its own gravy, or some without seasoning as before; and only warmed through, not boiled. If there is not fat left, cut some slices of mutton fat, set it on the fire with a little port wine and sugar, simmer till dry; then put to the hash, and it will eat as well as the fat of the venison.                                                                          The American Domestic Cookery, 1822.
　

To Make Venison Pasty: Raise a high round pie, shred a pound of beef suet, and put it into the bottom;' cut your venison in pieces and season it with pepper and salt. Lay it on the suet, lay on butter, close the pie, and bake it.                                                       The New England Cookery, 1808.

　


To Recover Venison when it Stinks: Take as much cold water in a tub as will cover it a handful over, and put in good store of salt, and let it lie three of four hours. Then take your venison out, and let it lie in as much hot water and salt, and let it lie as long as before. Then have your crust in readiness, and take it out and dry it very well, and season it with pepper and salt pretty high, and put it your pastry. Do not use the bones of your venison for gravy, but get fresh beef or other bones.
                                                                                                               The Compleat Housewife, 1730.

　

To Ficassee Chicken: Cut up the chicken raw, in the manner as you do for eating, and flat the pieces a little with a rolling pin. Fry them of a light brown; after wards put them into a stew pan, with sufficient quantity but not too much gravy, a spoonful or two of white wine, to two or three chickens, a little nutmeg and salt. Thicken it with flour and butter, ,garnish with sippets within the dish, and with crisp parsley on the rim.                                                                   The Frugal Housewife, 1772.

　

　


To Poach Eggs: Set a Stew pan of water on the fire; when boiling, slip an egg, previously broken into a cup, into the water, when the white looks done enough, slide an egg slice under the egg, and lay it on taste and butter or spinach.                                         A New System of Domestic Cookery, 1807.

　


To Preserve Eggs: May be preserved by anointing them with lard or any greasy or oily substance for months, and some say years. The oily substance closed the pores, hinder the access of air, and thus prevents putrefaction. they should be anointed soon after they are laid.
                                                                                              The Husbandman and Housewife, 1820.

　


To Make Turkey Pie: Bind the turkey, season it with savory spice, and lay it in the pie, with two capons cut in pieces,to fill up the corners. A goose pie is made the same way, with two rabbits to fill it up as aforesaid.                                                                                     The Frugal Housewife, 1772.

　


To Stuff a Turkey: Grate a wheat loaf, one quarter of a pound butter, one quarter of a pound salt pork, finely chopped, two eggs, a little sweet marjorum, summer savory, parsley, pepper and salt(If the pork be not sufficiently) fill the bird and sew it up. The same will answer for all wild fowl. Water fowls require onions. The same ingredients stuff a leg of veal, fresh pork, or a loin of veal.
                                                                                                         The New American Cookery, 1805.

　


To Stew Pigeons: Stuff the birds with seasoning made of ground pepper, salt, mace and sweet herbs. Half roast them, then put them in a stew pan with a sufficient quantity of gravy. a little white wine, some pickled mushrooms and lemon peel. When stewed enough, take out the birds, thicken the liquor with butter and the yolks of eggs.                                                      The New England Cookery, 1808.

　


To Make Chouder: Take a bass weighing four pounds, boil half an hour; take six slices raw salt pork, fry them till the lard is nearly extracted; one dozen crackers soaked in cold water five minutes. Put the bass into the lard, also the pieces of pork and crackers, cover close, and fry for twenty minutes; serve with potatoes, pickles, apple sauce or mangoes. Garnish with green parsley.
                                                                                                  The New American Cookery, 1805.

　


To Dress Cold Crab: Empty the shells, and mix the flesh with oil, vinegar, salt and a little white pepper and cayenne. Then put the mixture into the large shell and serve. Very little oil is necessary.                                                                                 The American Domestic Cookery, 1822.

　


To Make Hot Crab: Pick the meat out of a crab, clear the shell from the head, then put in the former, with a very small bit of nutmeg, salt, [pepper, a bit of butter,crumbs of bread, and three spoonfuls of vinegar, into the shell again, and set it before the fire. You may brown it with a salamander. Dry toast should be served to eat it upon.                                        
                                                                                     A New System of Domestic Cookery, 1807.

　


To Boil Cod sounds: Soak them in warm water half an hour, then scrape and clean, and if to be dressed white, boil them in milk and water. When tender, serve them in a napkin, with egg sauce. The salt mush not be much soaked out, unless for fricassee.
                                                                                                
To Make Eel Broth: Very nourishing for the sick. Stew two hours and add an onion and [peppercorns; salt to taste.
                                                                                            The American Domestic Cookery, 1822.

　


To Make Eel Pie: Cut, wash and season them with sweet seasoning and a handful of currants, butter and close it.                                                                                               The Frugal Housewife, 1772.

　


To Make Lobster Salad: Make a salad; and put some of the red part of the lobster to it, cut. this forms a pretty contrast to the white and green of the vegetables. Don't put much oil, as shell-fish absorb the sharpness of vinegar. Swerve in a dish, not a bowl.
                                                                                               The American Domestic Cookery, 1822.

　


To Fry Muscles: Put them into a kettle, in which there is as much boiling water was will cover them. Being enough, take them up and beard them, then wash them in warm water, wipe them dry and flour them. Being fried crisp, dish them up with butter beaten with the juice of lemon and parsley throwed over them, fried crisp and green.
                                                                                                               The Family Dictionary, 1705.

To Make Oyster Pie: Parboil a quart of large oysters in their own liquor, mince them small, and pound them in a mortar, with pistachio nuts, marrow and sweet herbs, and onion and savory seeds, and a little grated bread; or season as aforesaid whole. Lay on butter and close it.
                                                                                                                    The Frugal Housewife, 1772.

　


To Pickle Oysters: Take a quart of oysters, and wash them in their own liquor very well, till all the grittiness is out. Put them in a sauce pan or stew pan and strain the liquor over them . Set them on the fire, and scum them; then put in three of four blades of mace, a spoonful of whole pepper-corns, when you think they are boiled enough, throw in a glass of white wine. Let them have a thorough scald; then take them up and when they are cold, put them in a pot and pour the liquor over them, and keep them for use, Take them out with a spoon.
                                                                                                             The Compleat Housewife, 1730.

　


To Make Shrimp Sauce: Wash half a pint of shrimps very clean. Mince and put them in stew pan, with a spoonful of anchovey liquor and a pound of thick melted butter; boil it up for five minutes and squeeze in half a lemon. Toss it up and put it in a sauce boat.
                                                                                                               The Virginia Housewife, 1825.

To Make a Strong Fish Gravy: Take two or three eels, or any fish you have, skin or scale them, gut them and wash them from grit. Cut them into little pieces, put them into sauce pan, cover them with water, a ;little crust of bread toasted brown, a blade or two of mace, some whole pepper, a few sweet herbs, and a little bit of lemon peel. Let it boil till it is rich and good, then have ready a piece of butter, according to your gravy: if a pint, as big as a walnut. Melt it in the saucepan, then shake in a little flour, and toss it about till it is brown, and then strain in the gravy to it. Let it boil a few minutes and it will be good.                                                                                     The Frugal Housewife, 1772.

Jammin'

My last post was all about how a local company has nailed the flavor of Maine blueberries into products that outshines other businesses that use blueberries, Maine Man Flavah's. I have tasted dozens of other products, many from as far away as Oregon, claiming to use Maine blueberries in syrups, jellies, jams, preserves, muffin mixes and vinaigrettes. I will dare say that most used blueberry essence, extract or flavoring. How can you tell? Because you can smell sweet blueberry the second you open it....and I mean sweet, almost like perfume. That is the main indication of a fake blueberry addition.

And yes, I mean fake. Even though the extract or essence may come from blueberries in some form, when you scientifically alter pure wild blueberries, it is FAKE!

Not so with both Maine Man Flavah and Bar Harbor Jam Company. If I remember correctly, these guys have been around since the mid-80's and are truly local, buying and preparing right here at home.

Now they don't need me to give them a plug, one look at their product and it won't take long for you to place an order. One taste of their product and it won't take long for you to reorder. One look at there distribution list, and it won't take long for you to share with friends and family not in this great state.

From Maine to California, stopping at North Dakota, Ohio, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode Island, Montana, Tennessee, New Hampshire and Vermont for our friends who want to see what true Yankee blueberry ingenuity is all about.

I really am trying NOT to sound like an advertisement or paid spokesman, because I am not! When you are a New Englander, when you taste a product using Maine blueberries(for example), you stick with it and you tell everyone about it. This is exactly what I am doing.

For example, I recently tried Bar Harbor Jam Company's Wild Blueberry Syrup. Here is an image and even though it looks blue, the picture does it no justice. The syrup is not only bluer then it appears in the image, it is PERFECT! Outstanding doesn't begin to describe it.

I also have a bottle of their WILD Blueberry Vinaigrette 2 days ago. GONE!!!

Keep an eye out for the recipes I used it in. Just outstanding, AGAIN!

Take a peak at their website here and tell me it isn't some kinda temptin'.(Hey, it's the way I talk, get over it, hahaha.)

For anyone who seeks organic products, take a look. Chocolate covered blueberries AND cranberries, take a look. Frozen and dried blueberries, take a look. Breads and muffins, using wild Maine blueberries, take a look. Want a topping for your summer ice cream sundae's, take a look. And finally, for the best Blueberry Soda, take a look. Betcha never heard of Old Soaker Blueberry Soda before. Betcha never will drink another brand after this either! I could go on and on, but just take a look for yourself at the tremendous variety at Bar Harbor Jam Co..



Again, Maine continues to amaze me with its Yankee ingenuity, hard work, perseverance and above all, sticking with the world's best crop with no other artificial blueberry additives needed. You guys really are Jammin'.

　

T'ain't Right!

Yup.....that was what was going through my mind when I saw the label on some intriguing hot sauce at a local Christmas shop in Bar Harbor, Maine. Let me explain.

A friend of mine's girlfriend(Yes, also a friend as well)own the Christmas Vacation Shop in Bar Harbor, Maine, It is almost the time of year where you can't even move without offending someone downtown.

 

   Now BEFORE you go snickering about Christmas ornaments being sold in the summer, this store is all about Maine made gifts of ALL types, with emphasis on what made Maine THE tourist attraction, such as lobsters, lighthouses, blueberries and much more.

   At any rate, I took a walk into this quintessential Maine store with the premise of seeing Jim and Ellen(friends mentioned above) and simply to catch up. It seemed like it took me forever just to remove myself from staring at all the colorful, New England and Maine-themed ornaments and start treking to the counter to accomplish my goal. As I was doing so, I noticed a number of bottles that simply did not belong. Throwing my glasses on(first making sure nobody was around to see me with glasses)I noticed the name Maine Man Flavahs. Then I noticed the words Blueberry and Habanero. THEN I noticed a blue liquid in each bottle. My culinary curiosity was piqued so I hollered out "What's this stuff?" without even raising my head. Yeah, I blurt out off the cuff way to often and loud.

"Hot sauce" she immediately answered. Well, I wondered if hot sauce in a Christmas shop just t'ain't right! I couldn't have been more wrong

   This hot sauce is not only a Maine item, but it is a novelty Maine item, which fits in perfectly with the theme of the Christmas Shop.

At any rate, I bought a bottle and immediately looked this company up, gave them a call, visited them and the love affair soon began.

   Ben(one of the owners along with Brian)invited me to try a few more products in their line which haven't been widely distributed outside of Maine as of this writing. A Carrot Habanero Sauce, called Ain't Right on the label, was just as delicious as the Blueberry Habanero Sauce! I dare anyone to find either type of hot sauce that has as much flavor as these two. You simply cannot!

   After tasting what may very well be the most flavorful hot sauces on the market NATION-
ALLY, he brought out 2 items that have yet to hit a broader market, but soon will.

   Ben went on to explain that instead of tossing out the fiber-rich by-product of each hot sauce, he would allow his Yankee frugality to dictate business decisions.....and I am sure glad he did!

   The end result is The Guts(by-product of the Blueberry hot sauce) and the Ain't Right Guts(the results of the....well, you know the answer).

With some culinary magic, Yankee ingenuity and the desire to turn, what is ordinarily thrown out, "sumthin' outta nuthin'", these two relishes will blow you away! I cannot say enough about either of these products, other than they are a MUST try!

   In short, ya' gotta try these products and look for them at any of the following businesses. If you aren't around Maine, go to their website to order and even contact them for some new items coming in the next few weeks. Follow these links and find out for yourself!

http://www.mainemanflavahs.com/

 

https://www.facebook.com/Maine-Man-Flavahs-1488857764749812/

 

https://twitter.com/mainemanflavahs

  
 

For the Blueberry Habanero Guts, visit:

Tiller and Rye, in Brewer, Maine.
Natural Living Center and Central Street Farmhouse in Bangor, Maine.
Peeky Toe Provisions, in Bar Harbor, Maine.

For the Blueberry Habanero Sauce, visit these Maine businesses:

In Bar Harbor, Maine, go to Christmas Vacation Shop as mentioned, Bar Harbor Beer Works, Bar Harbor Jam Co., Blaze Pizzeria, Cherristones, Cool as a Moose , Dog and Pony Tavern, Jalapeños Mexican Restaurant, Peeky Toe Provisions.

In Bangor, go to Carolina's Sports and Spirits, Giacomo's Market, Miguel's Mexican Restaurant ,Natural Living Center and the Central St. Farmhouse

In Portland, Maine, go to Bayou Kitchen, King's Head Pandemonium, Shipwreck and Cargo, Taco Escobarr and Rivalries.

And here are other businesses that carry Maine Man Flavah products:

The Bacon Tree (Winterport)
Colonel's Deli (Northeast Harbor)
Fisherman's Net (Gray)
Flaming Gourmet (Kennebunkport, Maine)
Mason's Brewery (Brewer)
Mangy Moose (Freeport)
North Woods Trading Post (Millinocket)
Rolling Fatties (Kingfield)
Sherman's Book Stores (throughout Maine)
Shipyard Brew Haus (Sugarloaf)
The Bag (Sugarloaf)
Spring Creek BBQ (Monson)
Taste Jamaica (Ellsworth)
The Pickled Wrinkle (Winter Harbor)
The Shuga Shack (Poland)
Tiller and Rye (Brewer)
Tradewinds Grocer (located throughout Maine)
Uno Mas (Farmington)
Village Market (Carmel)


And for those of you in the food and restaurant industry, simply ask for the product line through Dennis Paper Co. and W.A.Beans, both of Bangor.

In New Hampshire, these sauces can be found at the Bavarian Chocolate Haus (North Conway)

And one more thing! Am I plugging this company because of any particular reason? Yup!!! Because they are Yankee's.....

It's Just That Simple!™


 

 

 

 

Try An Original, New England Toddy For Christmas

UPDATE; Have since been the envy of my area with the first taster of Eden's Ice Cider. More on that by mid-January. In the meantime, read on.



Choosing something deliciously New England for Christmas this year is finally at our fingertips. What better way to celebrate the often seen snowy hillside cottages and farms of New England packed with family and friends than with an equally recognizable addition in the way of apple cider, and not just any old apple cider. Read on.....

　

The history of apple cider, as well as hard apple cider, in New England, has been written about over and over again so I will not do the same here.

I will, however, add that Yankees have been enjoying apple cider, in all forms, since the first decade of the 17th century and we have not stopped since. Hard apple cider is now global and is enjoyed universally.

But there has been that one sticking point and that is the overt sugary, sweetness that usually comes along with it. Many of my friends on all social media platforms have the aptitude and strong desire to at least try bottled, hard apple cider, but when they do, they are taken back by the sweetness. No complexity or other hints of flavors, just sweetness.  I, too, have tried almost every single brand and have yet to find that perfect hard cider that adds more apple flavor.

I have seen dozens of reviews for hard cider, as well as the product I am about to tout, but it truly takes a New Englander to appropriately and honestly give a true summation of ANYTHING cider!. I know this will "offend" many professional taste testers out there, but pull your big boy pants up and move on to another product you can review.

There is just something about a fermented apple product that takes a genetic "je ne sais quois" in order to accurately describe, and thusly recommend an apple product.

Now that I have ticked off anyone that isn't a Yankee, let's move on to a product that is another Yankee original, Ice[d] Cider! (Well, original in a sense that us Yankee's made Ice Cider, but we fermented the cider BEFORE freezing, whereas these distillers freeze THEN ferment.)

If you are tired of tasting the same ol', too sweet, hard apple cider, than this product is for you. The only drawback, and truly NOT akin to what the original New Englander called it, is that most of the producers of Ice Cider calls it Ice Cider WINE.

Not only is the word 'wine' a turn off for many men, Yankee men to be precise, but it instantly denotes something less alcoholic and as sweet as wine. That is where this product comes in. Ice Cider is actually a pleasant beverage, says Linda Fondulas of Newhall Farms(see below). The apples she produces is used in Eden's brand below. She tells me that there is so much more depth of flavor in Ice Cider than simply hard cider. The apple bursts its Yankee roots in every sip and all the profiles of an apple are quite apparent as well.

Originally either called Jersey Lightning or Apple Jack(the latter more prevalently), fermented apple cider was frozen in whatever cider barrels a family had laying around. Once the water portion of the cider was frozen, the remaining cider was drawn off and placed in another barrel. This was repeated one more time, with the resulting cider being as strong as any Southerner's White Lightning!

So why was the name Jersey Lightning applied at times to this delicious alcohol? Because the road crews in New Jersey during the colonial era were paid with this Apple Jack!

Anyway, the alcoholic content of todays' Ice Ciders can't compare to the original either. Today, they range anywhere from 10%-20%, stronger than beer but still a far cry from the old days. I have seen, somewhere online, of Ice Ciders having a 30-40% content of alcohol. These would be the first I would try.

There are also two different manufacturing processes used as well, one being far superior than the other.

The generally acquired and used system is to use apples from the tree, pulverize them(I am taking a journalistic shortcut here), squeeze as much juice from them before freezing, filtering and fermenting. Although this results in a good tasting Ice Cider, the best way is the old way.

By letting the apples freeze while still on the branches before picking and continuing with the fermentation process, you are left with an Ice Cider that is superior in taste than any other hard apple cider product in the world! The flavor is almost identical to an apple pie, without even having to add spices.

I am adding a few companies, both here in New England and abroad, that produces Ice Cider, and I will let you decide which is your favorite and with a little due diligence, investigate which of these uses frozen apples rather than freezing the juice. I have added one particular company that is known to use frozen apples.

Let me know which you enjoy the most and in the meantime, I will be forming my own opinion as I can acquire each of these products. The winning Ice Cider will be having a spotlight in my third cookbook already in the works.

　

Domain Pinnacle Ice Cider is a Canadian product that was the winner of the Great Gold medal at the Catavinum World Wine Spirits Competition(there's that word 'wine"again), as well as many other medals. This Ice Cider is that it is 12% alcohol. They have a century old apple orchard and use 6 varieties of apples as well. Go ahead, check them out at: http://domainepinnacle.com/en/produits/domaine-pinnacle-ice-cider-en/

Touting 54 awards, Ice Cider Neige Premiere is a blend of McIntosh, Spartan and Cortland apples and is 12.5% alcohol. The reviews, as seen on their front page, likens this cider to wine which is a common denominator throughout my research. Although they show pictures of apples being picked in the middle of winter, and thusly assuming the apples are frozen, there is no mention of using the frozen apples for the base of this cider. They also say that the apples are "autumn harvested". Regardless, this Canadian "wine" is available for your tasting as well.

https://domaineneige.com/en/our-products/detail/neige-premiere-ice-cider/

Now onto a Vermont company, Eden Calville Blend Ice Cider, of West Charlestown, Vermont. Linda and Ted Fondulas provide the apples for this Ice Cider on their Newhall Farm. They claim to use 11 apple varieties and is 10% alcohol. On Eden's web page, it is shown that a few different Ice Ciders are produced, each bearing their own flavor profile. The only downfall is that only a dozen or so states are in on their shipping list. Although additional flavorings are added, the Orleans cider is on my list to try.

　
http://www.cherrywine.com/wineries/eden-ice-cider/

　

Self proclaimed "Vermonts Premier Apple Cider", this New England company, Boyden Valley, has two products that stand out, Ice Cider and Double Bourbon Cider. We will stick with the nuances of Ice Cider for the benefit of this column.

Although little is mentioned in the way of production, this site does say that it is 12% alcohol and uses ONLY Vermont grown Northern Spy, McIntosh and Empire apples, which is almost the perfect blend to be honest. This Ice Cider is aged in French oak barrels, which is fine but in order to be true to New England, oak trees were not nearly used as widely as other types by Puritan and colonial coopers. The staves of the barrel were generally made at home by whatever tree one had on their property, mostly Beech, maple, birch and fir.


https://boydenvalley.com/product/vermont-ice-cider/

Now we are at a place that freezes their apples on the branch BEFORE any other process. Although Northern Natural Winery is based in Michigan, I truly want to try their Ice Cider, and that is coming from a 13th generation Yankee!

 

Not much, if anything, is found on their website below, about the process used, but simply because of the true process that results in a true New England flavor, this stands out to me more than others. You will have to look under 'Wine", on the left hand side, in order to pull up their product.


http://www.northernnaturalwinery.com/index.php

　

In Shoreham, Vermont comes a very intriguing Ice Cider. Champlain Orchards is a special place because they are eco-friendly, while producing a great product, as many aver. Their road to fame, I believe, is the Honeycrisp Ice Cider. The name along sounds enticing on one hand, but sweet on the other. The only way to tell is by ordering a bottle, or two, or.......with its' 11% alcohol.

　  

http://www.champlainorchardscidery.com/ice-cider

　

　

Isle La Motte, Vermont raises their glasses to Hall Home Place. They are regaled as having the most distinctive Ice Cider in the world! What I like about this company is that the land, as well as the apple trees, have been in the family since the 1700s, and the apples have not been changed since that time, only more added. That, to me, is pure Yankee. At 13% alcohol, their Ice Cider just tweaks me in a good way. Another reason why I hang my hopes on the Hall family? They use ONLY Cortland apples for one of their Ice Ciders. And for those of you familiar with Cortlands, you know that they are less sweet than many other varieties, making this cider a beverage I think will "take the cake".


http://hallhomeplace.com/

　

To The New York Yankees

I have always abhorred bullying in any manner. I remember as a child being bullied to no end and I have a soft spot in my heart for children who are bullied even today. It truly saddens me when I see it happen day in and day out, even online. So when I see that you folks filed an extension of time in order to determine if The Yankee Chef negatively impacts your brand, the very first thing that came to mind is the term bullying, trademark bullying to be precise.

I took the time to peruse the objections you have filed over the years and for the life of me, I do not understand how you think a TRUE Yankee would impact the New York Yankees. It completely and utterly boggles me. Why? Let me count the ways.....

　

First and foremost, I AM A YANKEE. My family have been Yankees since 1635!!!! If anyone thinks, even for a minute, that they can diminish my heritage in any manner simply because an entity has the money to frivolously own a group of people, they are mistaken. Not only because my family(as many thousands of others)have been Yankees longer than baseball has been around, but the word Yankee itself is in the dictionary. That reason ALONE precludes ANYONE from "owning" the name.

It is the exact same thing as if I were calling myself The Indian Chef. The Cleveland Indians would have zero standing to oppose my name. Other examples?

The Viking Chef, The Cowboy Chef, The Chief Chef, The Pirate Chef, The Athletic Chef(I kinda like that name, hahahaha), The National Chef........ do I really need to go on and on?

Please see my article(as well as ANY encyclopedic entry)on the term Yankee at:

　

http://theyankeechef.com/index.php/featured/45-articles-guides/article/64-300-year-old-riddle-solved

　

In the meantime, and without giving away too much, how about Yankee Candles, Yankee Magazine, Yankee Pacific, Yankee Spirits, Yankee Estate Sales....and the list goes on and on.

　

We have Yankee Swap Parties, Yankee ingenuity or even Yankeetown, Florida. This is a fraction of things with the word Yankee in the title.

　

Although I absolutely think you should protect your brand, please do not bully the small guy who is 100% entitled to be called The Yankee Chef, especially since I am a third generation CHEF who happens to be a Yankee and NOT a baseball player. Heck, and not to be mean spirited, but New Yorker's aren't even Yankees, and most probably are happy about that, LOL.

　

Regardless, take all the time you need, but don't prevent someone from calling themselves a Yankee. I have more of a footing to challenge YOU for calling yourselves Yankees than vice-versa, but that would never happen.

If all you need is a disclaimer, than I would be more than happy to provide one here on my site, although I think it is a little(okay, a LOT)foolish. How's this?

　

I am a Yankee, not a baseball player and my brand has nothing to do with baseball, stadiums, mascots, sports, sports teams or a league.

                                 It's Just That Simple!™

 

Ayuh, that gawnicus 'et all the cling john.....

Ahhhhh, the nuance of Maine lingo. And it begins with AYUH.

I have been reading, lately, about the origins of the Maine word AYUH and listening to people from around the country and in various media(including movies) how they pronounce it. I have YET to find someone who doesn't sound extremely foolish trying to mimic our affirmative reply. They often strongly emphasize the A and draw it out wayyyy too long, followed by almost shouting the YUH part comically. But they leave out the most essential part of the word, the nasally twang with its distinctive drawl!

　

Does this Maine Fisherman look like he wants to talk?

You simply cannot say it properly without these elements, and one sounds like a foreigner when you try. Now this is not to say you cannot correctly pronounce it, but you truly have to be a Yankee, a down east Maine Yankee to be precise, to make it sound correct.

Although there have been many historians and linguistic experts who have come close to giving the origin of this word, they really haven't quite nailed it down. And this is because, again, it is too simple for anyone to figure out. My Dad always told me that there are often riddles in life whose answers are too simple to understand. Many people often delve deeply into meanings and backgrounds in order to try and solve this dilemmas, when the true answer takes no such route, and AYUH is one of them.

　

This word began with the simple YUH, of course with the nasally twang and drawl. Most of the time during the pre-19th century in Maine, the AYUH was phonetically devoid of the long A but as time progressed, and Maine became more settled with "outsiders", many paid to much attention to that beginning(almost silent) A and began adding it to YUH.

　

Over time, and into the 1800s, this A was added to YUH and it became widespread, with(again) way too much accent put on it. If you want to properly say it, simply draw out the Y, while allowing just a little air escaping through your nose at the same time and finish with the UH. It should sound like you are tired of repeating yourself and you sound frustrated, which brings us to the origination of the word.  

Let me give you one experiment that almost solves the origin question as simply as I can.

　

You are sitting down working on something and are fully focused on your task at hand,(Which us Mainah's are known for and have been for generations). You don't want to be disturbed or you are obstinate and don't like to be disturbed by someone with frivolous banter. (Which is the true nature of a true Yankee).

People are coming up to you disturbing your work with either monotonous questions or meaningless chatter. You are on edge and simply don't want to be disturbed. You answer 'yes' to anything you are being asked. You would automatically answer YES by drawing out the Y because of you are irritated and hinting to the questioner that the answer is obviously YES.

　

This is exactly how the AYUH became part of our Maine vocabulary. We drew out the Y, and when doing so, it sounds as if you have added a long A at the beginning. It's Just That Simple!

　

So forget about the stories about cold churches, weather, meetinghouses and the widespread catarrh that affected many New England communities of old. These played absolutely no role in our AYUH. Sure, catarrh resulted in a build up of mucus in the nasal cavities of anyone afflicted by it in young America, and often sounded as if you had a twang when speaking. But everyone suffered from catarrh long ago, but the nasally AYUH is ONLY heard in Maine and nowhere else, even though catarrh hit other communities far greater than down east Maine.

　

How bout some other Maine and Yankee terms that are long forgotten, but interesting in their own right?

　

Cat stick-A small stick

Cling john-A soft cake of rye

Cohees-The term New Englander's used for people who came from Pennsylvania.

Essence peddler-A skunk

Gander party-A social gathering of men only

Gawnicus-A half-brained person, stupid.

Hawkins whetstone-Rum. In "honor" of a certain Hawkins who was once a temperance lecturer.

Keeler tub-A place in which dishes where washed.

Lap tea-where the guests are too many to sit at the table

Last of pea time-to be hard up and poor.

Malahak-To quickly and roughly chop something.

Moonglade-The term for the beautiful and color image a moonbeam reflects on still water.

To make a Virginia fence-To walk as though drunk

Jorum-A jug of rum

Hot as a red wagon-Extremely drunk

He can't spin a thread-Powerless to act

To be one of the White hens' chickens-A very agreeable and nice person.

Comfort powders-Little slips of folded paper with brief scriptures written on them.

Twizzles-Other types of fish that you weren't fishing for that got caught up in a fisherman's net.

　

And lastly, here are a list of old time apples found in many New England ledgers, diaries and histories since the Puritan era. See if any of these ring a bell.

Workaroe, Victuals and Drink, Wandering Spy, Sweet and Sour, Titus Pippin, Tom Putt, Nodhead, Sops of Wine, Smokehouse, Shiawassee, Savewell, Arkansas Beauty, Bailey Spice, Bunker Hill, Cabashea, Beauty of Kent, Belborodooskoe, Blushing Bride, Genesee Flower, Egg Top, Fallawater, Evening Party, Disharoon, Crow Egg, Chenango, Devonshire Duke, Lady Finger, Kentish Fillbasket, Iowa Beauty, King David, Kansas Keeper, Hartford Rose, Gloria Mundi, Good Peasant, Grandmother, Great Mogul, Missing Link. Old Garden, Mountain Sweet, Longevity, Legal Tender, Long Stem of Penn, Lowland Raspberry, Malinda, Pine Stump, Plumb Cider, Red Wine, Pumpkin Russet, See No Further, Tolman Sweet and Hubbardston Nonesuch.

　

　

It's Just That Simple!™

I have noticed the past couple of weeks that more and more large, food companies are altering their labels to identify with the consumer demand for simplicity. People not only want to know what is in their food products, but be able to at the very least, pronounce them. There is a huge wave of tidal opinion, as well, for food products to get rid of complicated and extended ingredients in the simplest of foods.

Our government tried this back in 2008 to combat obesity but to be honest, take a look at the stats,                                                                 
                                                " It ain't workin' ! "

When I see some famous faces on television, such as Robert Irvine(and he is just one of the many dozens)salt fish before dumping it seasoned bread crumbs(with salt in the seasoning) and deep fry it. Only to add even more salt on top before eating it, I cringle. There is simply no reason to keep dumping salt in our bodies to such an extent.....period!

And then you have the kitchen "experts" tell you certain salts are better for you than others, such as sea salt versus table, or Himalayan salt versus Fleur de Sel or smoked salt versus Kosher.......you get my drift! Salt is salt my friends, let's stop relying on it so heavily in our diets or the death rate from not only obesity but illnesses as a result from high blood pressure will continue to skyrocket.

It is very difficult NOT to use a cake recipe, for example, that doesn't have some salt in it, nor pie recipes.

Now the argument is that salt enhances the sweetness of these desserts. Give that some thought for a minute.............Done?

Yes, I am guilty of creating recipes that truly are not the best, nutritionally, for you but just use some common sense when eating them. Take smaller portions or make these dishes sparingly. My goodness, there are so many other desserts and entrees you can make that makes use of natures flavors to enhance your food.

And when you take a look, or even prepare any of my recipes, I will let you know if a certain lower fat ingredient cannot be substituted, but overall, if a recipe calls for cream, milk or even fat-free evaporated milk is a perfect alternative.

To plug my second cookbook, Refreshed, you will notice not only lower fat recipes, but I utilize fruits and vegetables to a wider extent than most chefs. I also take advantage of fruit purees, fruit juice and fruit itself to lend a sweet touch where sugar is the norm.

Sugar adds sweetness.............THAT IS ALL! The items I just mentioned add sweetness AND flavor.

So toss that extra salt aside and make use of nature's abundant supply of healthy alternatives. If not for yourself, than for the ones you love. Here is a great example of a superbly simply and explosively flavorful dessert that showcases the taste of berries without added sugar. It may take a few tries to understand what true fruit flavors are, but a content smile beats all *$%# out of a guilty frown.

Blackberry Foolish Moose

 

 

3 cups fresh blackberries
1 cup apple juice
1 cup cranberry juice
2 envelopes plain gelatin
2 cups whipped topping

Add blackberries and juices to a food processor or blender and puree, on high, until as smooth as possible. Strain through a wire-mesh strainer into a medium saucepan, pressing the pulp against the sides to extract as much juice as possible. You will end up with about 2 cups.

Bring to a boil over medium heat. While mixture is boiling, lightly sprinkle the gelatin over the liquid, whisking at the same time. Do this slowly or the gelatin will clump up.

Continue whisking vigorously and cooking an additional minute.

Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until cooled and starting to thicken.

Remove from refrigerator and whisk in whipped topping. Cover and refrigerate until set and completely cold.

　

Makes about 4 servings

　

　

It's Just That Simple!™