I'm Back: Apple Pie With Sharp Cheddar

A quick little post to get back into the pie world again. Yep, I've submitted my thesis (novel, draft two) and now I'm just waiting for my oral defense and/or fellowship responses, grading, jogging, enjoying friend time, and waiting. Lots of waiting. But that's okay - it's spring and beautiful in Houston, my sister is coming to visit, and life is end-of-my-master's-degree good. In that spirit I'm doing two new posts on variations of the cheeriest pie I've ever met: apple. Apples never go out of season or style, and when you pair them with seasonal fruits you can keep things fresh - no worries about lingering Thanksgiving vibes. First up is apple with a cheddar topping. Emeril gave me this idea, which is as simple as it sounds. Bake standard apple pie in a double crust. Remove halfway through baking, add thick slices of cheddar. Bake some more.

I'm not totally sold, I'll admit. The sharp white Tillamook I used tended to overwhelm the apple goodness, so in the future, I'd have a lighter touch with the cheddar and stick with a mellower variety. There is something interesting about the sweet and savory forkfuls, and baking the cheese on top kicks the old apple/cheddar combo up a notch. It's most charming when hot -- bubbly, cheesy, apple-y.

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