• Thursday-What'sUP September 26 - 07:44 am

With the arrival of this apple tree photo from E. Neil Harri, in my inbox, it got me to thinking about the different ways to consume an apple. Of course there's the obvious and most simple, just pick it off the tree and take a good bite.

Another favorite way, is covering it with melted caramel and putting a handle on it, so you won't get your hands so sticky. I sure hope Brita Haapala didn't get any goop on her lens getting up that close to those treats on a stick.

The next shot from Joyce Tormala is the "before" picture. You've peeled, cored and sliced the apples in preparation for making a scrumptious apple pie. Chris Koskiniemi supplied us with the "after" picture, when the pie is baked and ready to eat. All it needs is vanilla ice cream along side it and the picture is then complete!

Today's last photo is ahead of our present color season just a bit, but fit in so well with the other "apple" shots, that I couldn't resist throwing it into the mix right now too. Ashley Byykkonen captured the bustle of making apple cider in the great Keweenaw outdoors.

Now if these pictures don't send you out in search of the perfect apple, I don't know what will.

I love the pictures. I sure do miss 'Apple season' back in MI. Such good memories going to Yates Cider Mill with the kids every fall.

We went to Yates Cider Mill over the weekend and it is still the same as when My parents use to take us a longgggggg time ago. I kinda of like going to the cider mills where you can pick your own apples, that is fun to do. Less than a mile from us is a farm and he has a cornfield maze, which I have yet to try it. We love to drive by and see the cows as they are coming out of the barn and some horses in the fields with sheep and goats just grazing away. In one part of the farm they have a huge area that looks like a 'community garden' you see the people with chairs and working in the garden. We love seeing that.

Those colors are great. Makes me want to go to Bayfield and get some really great ones and maybe visit the Apostle Islands. Sounds like fun.

Give me the caramel apples anyday (add some peanuts to them) and toss a nice crumble mix on top of the pie and you've got a winner.

Yer killin' me with these pictures! All the apples and desserts look delicious! My husband works at our local orchard/winery, Wolcott's, north of Flint. He used to make the cider, but now he's doing lots of other things. If you're in the area this weekend, tomorrow night is a pig roast (which he'll be handling) and all weekend is the huge apple fest with lots of food and tons of crafters. He'll be making his bean soup in the big open kettle both days, just like we do at the Aura Jamboree.

What a fun collection of apple pictures, Mary! Thank you! Apples are one of the things that I love about fall. They are good, whether you eat them fresh or use them to make some of the many wonderful apple dishes of autumn! In addition to those pictured, apples are really good in homemade applesauce, apple butter, baked, and in cobbler, among other things! A fond memory is being a helping parent at my sons' preschool when the activity was making applesauce, using one apple brought in by each child. That was awesome applesauce, made with many different varieties of apples! All of the kids loved it, too!

Those pictures are making me hungry. It seems to be a good year for apples too. I grabbed a good one at my Uncles yesterday off his tree, I am too short to reach more so I am going back when not in work clothes so I can climb the tree and get the good ones.

Great pictures. I also have gotten apples in Bayfield, Wi but here in Illinois we drive to Speer, Il to a place called Tanners. They have apples, cider, produce and baked goods. Also a corn maze, goats and alpacas. Great place to spend an hour or two.

After I vaccinate my horses myself in the fall, offering my horses fresh apples is a great way to make friends again.

Apple pie, ice cream and a slice of American cheese on top. I first discovered this way of eating while aboard lake freighters..Maybe it is a southern habit..any others enjoy having pie this way.

I remember working at Jilbert's resort in Eagle Harbor as a high school student. Just before closed one evening and fellow came in and wanted the Cheddar cheese melted over the top of Missy's home made apple pie. It was my first time ever seeing that. He was from Chicago and vacationed in the Keweenaw every summer.

Bobbysgirl, I was reading a little too fast and saw "offering horse apples is a good way to make friends"...I thought "I wouldn't take the receipt of a horse apple as a friendly gesture" ;>)

I had heard that this was going to be a bad year for apples, at least downstate where I am, because of dry conditions during the growing season. I'll still pay the asking price, 'cause apples are my favorite fruit.

If I look at that apple pie one more time, I will eat my screen.

My wife saw my apple picture today and asked why I didn't pick her any. She needs some red ones for apple jelly. So now I have to stop on my way home and pick apples.

Up in Linwood by Hubbell, there was an old man who had an orchard on his property. Had the best apples. He caught me stealing one of his apples and was chastising me. His next door neighbor, Mrs. Benson, told him I was a good boy and after that he would give me apples anytime I went by. Can't remember his name. He spoke with a thick accent. Eddy you can leave the ice cream off for me. Just the apple pie and the cheese. Course if Precious finds out she will take the pie off the plate also and let just the cheese. She is the chief of the health police here in Berkley, or so it seems.

Eddiefitz and Liz B,
My mother is of French descent and lived most of her life in the UP. She always told us, "Apple pie without the cheese is like a kiss without the squeeze!" If the pie is warm or freshly zapped in the micro with the cheese to bring out all of those flavors - mmmm good - now to get some apples and start from scratch!

I heard Bayfield's Apple Fest is awesome, but this weekend (Saturday 27th) Iron Mountain has it's own annual Apples and Art Festival in downtown Iron Mountain. Local Artists display their art,there's kids activities in the streets, an apple pie contest, and much more. Saturdaay 8am-3pm in downtown Iron Mountain. I can't wait for the fresh local Honey Crisp Apples! Yummy!

EddyFitz & LizB:
My family is mostly of German descent, having stopped for a while in NY before continuing on to the thumb area of Michigan. Several of my great- aunts and uncles always ate their apple pie with cheddar cheese on top. So I'm not sure if it's a European thing, with LizB's mother being of French descent and my family being German, or what exactly the origin is.

not just any ice cream its got to be "Jilberts"!

Kathyl....Oh, I have a lot of friends that like my horse's "apples"! They claim it is the secret of their successful gardens and flower beds!

Maybe an apple pova in the works??? My mom used to make them.... ummmm... so good ;0)

When my brothers and I were kids, my one brother cleaned out the pot to put some fresh oil in it to make some french fries. He probably put a little bit more oil in than needed or the potatos were to wet. Anyway, the pot of oil caught fire in his face. My parents had just put down a new kitchen floor and my brother knocked the pot to the floor. We tried to put it out. My mom just made a homemade apple pie that was cooling on the stove, so needless to say we took the pie and smothered the pot with it. Everybody was fine and the fire was put out with that apple pie. Which my mom never made another apple pie til the day she passed away. YES! my brother was old enough to make french fries.

Maybe someone can answer an apple question for me. Why is it that even though apples are in season, they're abundant and they grow almost everywhere that they are still so outrageously expensive at the grocery store?

I always enjoyed goin' apple pickin' when I was a kid. We got to ride on the tailgate of the stationwagon, or maybe even on the roof as Dad drove up and down the rows of trees looking for the perfect one. We'd usually eat 2 or 3 out in the orchard while pickin' and still take home a bushel basket full or maybe even two.

Apple pie is great. Alone, with ice cream, or with cheddar cheese. The cheddar is certainly worth trying if you never have.

Apple & Cherry Pie- my favorite, if it's apple it has to have Sharp Cheddar Cheese melted on it, but for both, Jilbert's of course! You could also talk me into a cold glass of Jilbert's white milk too to go with it! Even better after a sauna and a dip in the Gitch! Who's U.P. for it????????

Dairyland in Lake Linden had an apple pie ice cream, crust and all. We would always take my mom a scoop in a cup with a sugar cone on top of the ice cream ;0)

My mom used to put cheese on her piece of apple pie, too. And she was Finnish. (So am I. :o) ) Mimi likes her apples just plain. But she likes applesauce with pork roast or chops. I like any kind of apple this, that or whatever.

My favorite use of applesauce is with a pasty! Along with the crust of a Pasty Central pasty, it's like apple pie.

Does anyone remember picking "transparent apples"? They had a pale yellow skin....the best. We used to find them in the fields around $ Bay.