There’s a new glow to the days lately. The trees are showing off their warm colors. The landscape painted with orange, yellow and red hues, finished off with a touch of golden. Fall has arrived and I’m beyond thrilled. With a new season comes a sense of awakening. As a baker, this time of year brings all kinds of excitement and anticipation, with so many baking possibilities. I’m kicking off the season with the quintessential Fall dessert: apple pie. This is your traditional, classic, WASHINGTON Apple Pie.
We lived in Washington State for a short time, just about a year and a half. It was a busy time in our lives. My husband spent many months deployed on a submarine deep below the Pacific Ocean, while I held down the Homefront taking care of our two kiddos. Life there was stressful at times, but we were able to find peace in our surroundings. We immediately fell in love with the gorgeous views of the snowcapped Olympic Mountains, the abundance of Evergreens, and the cleanest air you’ll ever breathe. For a Cali girl, who loves her sunshine, the rain and the gloom didn’t really bother me at all. I loved our misty walks and foggy ferry rides to Seattle. The laid back, coffee shop culture suited us well.
On a dreary day nothing comforts you more than a warm cup of coffee and good pastry. We found some of the best coffee stops and bakeries living in Washington. My absolute favorite bakery was Sluys Bakery , in the little Scandinavian downtown of Poulsbo. We would visit the quaint waterfront town for the shops and restaurants, but especially for the Sluys. My kid’s favorites were the giant maple doughboy donut or the sad face cookie (just because they thought it was funny) and of course the amazing pies.
'The Evergreen State’ harvests 10-12 billion apples per year, and all are handpicked. If you lined them up side by side they would circle the earth 29 times! No wonder it’s the official state fruit and why apple pie comes to mind when we think of Washington. I got my hands on some Crispin apples from a local farm here in Virginia, Westmoreland Berry Farm, to make Taste of Home's Washington Apple Pie. The tartness and the sweetness of the apples are combined with just the right amount of cinnamon and spice. The crust filled with tender apples, and baked to golden perfection. With filling spilling through the cracks of the crust, this rustic pie is perfect with all it’s imperfections. If you’ve never made a homemade apple pie, it’s worth the effort, Just for the smell in your kitchen alone. As the weather cools hope you find warmth in all the new flavors of the season.
*originally written October 3, 2019