Apples, Pears and a Torte - Oh, My!

Fall is here and so are apples and pears!

Our Local Apple Growers include:

• Countryside Orchard (non-certified organic) of Lansing, IA
• Hoch Orchard (certified organic) of LaCrescent, MN
• Two Brothers Orchard (non-certified organic) of Viroqua, WI

Our Current Local Apple Varieties (it changes every few days):

Cortland: Favored for cooking, cider and fresh eating. White flesh is slow to turn brown—try it in salads!
Gala
Golden Supreme
Honeycrisp: One of the very best for fresh eating—juicy, crisp, sweet & flavorful.
Jonafree
McIntosh: Distinctively spicy, tart, and aromatic. White, moderately firm flesh is tender and juicy. Best for fresh eating.
Northwest Greening
Priscilla:Sweet yet tart & juicy. All-purpose.
Valstar

We also have the largest selection of WI grown pears we’ve ever had!!

Our Local Pear Growers:

• From Tippy Top Orchard (non-certified organic) of Dodgeville, WI:  Asian, Luscious, & d’Anjou
• From Barnard Farms (non-certified organic) of Sturgeon Bay, WI (Door County):  Bartlett, Bosc, & Harrow Sweet

And lastly, a delicious fall recipe for you:

Apple Almond Torte

Try this show-stopper recipe that you will make again and again and again!

Crust:
1/2 c. salted butter, softened 1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 c. sugar 1 c. all-purpose unbleached flour
Filling:
8 oz. neufchatel/cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/2 tsp. almond or vanilla extract
1/4 c. sugar
Topping:
4 medium sized apples, cored & sliced very thin
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 c. sliced or slivered almonds

Grease a 9” springform pan. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Crust: process butter, sugar, & vanilla in a food processor. Add flour & pulse a few times. Press into greased pan, forming a 1” lip on the sides. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove & cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Combine sliced apples, sugar, & cinnamon in a bowl, toss to coat, & set aside. Process filling to a smooth consistency. Pour filling into crust & carefully spread apple slices overlapping in a spiral design. Reserve any remaining liquid in bottom of bowl. Sprinkle almonds over the top.

Bake for 10 minutes, pour reserved liquid over the top, reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until apples are softened & filling is firm. Cool before serving.  Enjoy!