Organic A-Z: Apples

When it came time to pick something to feature on our first episode of Organic A-Z, I was really tempted to rock out with one of my favorite veggies--the artichoke. But when I think about the toxic nature of conventional apple farming and how popular apples are, I just couldn't resist it. Artichokes can wait, right now it's apple time!

Sad but true, this American classic (which originated in Central Asia) is a real pain to grow! To make apple farming productive, conventional farmers have to rely on a whole lot of pesticide and fungicide to keep bugs at bay. Apples are always on the Environmental Working Group's list of fruits and veggies you MUST EAT ORGANIC. I won't even touch a conventional apple anymore!

So go organic! Apples are a great boost to your health--great for the blood, the tummy, tons of vitamins and that taste--let's face it, that hearty, filling, sweet/sour/tanginess that apples provide is what we're all after! In my opinion, organic apples have more intense flavors and sweetness worth the higher price alone.

I grew up eating an apple a day and I would continue to go that route if it weren't for the seasons. Just because you can buy apples year-round in the grocery store does not mean they are in season. During the spring and summer, those apples on the shelf (even at a health food store) were imported from somewhere far, far away--the Southern Hemisphere. APPLES ARE AN AUTUMN CROP! So cut back on that carbon footprint and only eat apples in the fall and winter from your most-local source.

Go to your local farmer's market this fall and look for some funky apples. There are literally THOUSANDS of different varieties available but grocery stores seem hung up on a handful of types--granny smiths, red and golden delicious, fuji... I was blown away when I ate my first Pippin, Empire and Gravenstein--so tart and sweet and intense! Go for firm, shiny, fat apples and ask your farmer which ones are good for cooking and which ones are best for just plain eating--not all apples hold up in the oven. If you store your apples in the fridge they will last for weeks and even months!