We get lots of food items delivered by PR companies. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. On Wednesday, we enjoyed a box of Sprinkles cupcakes. And yesterda, a box from The Fruit Guys showed up. The latter was particularly timely, since I had just finished editing a segment featuring Frank Browning, who wrote An Apple Harvest. He says that cool temperatures grow the best apples and that there are incredible hybrids being grown in France. In our fruit box were Arkansas Black apples, a deliciously crisp variety grown in Northern California.
Here is a really great guide to apple varieties from the LA Times. And, here’s a recipe from Frank for a Winter Apple Salad (after the jump)…
Winter Salad with Apples and White Cheddar
Dressing
2 1/2 Tablespoons cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or walnut oil
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Salad
1 small head radicchio, leaves separated and cut lengthwise into narrow strips
2 heads Belgian endive, leaves separated and cut lengthwise into narrow strips
1 small head frisee, tough stems removed and torn into small pieces
1 Newtown Pippin, Granny Smith, Stayman Winesap, or other tart apple, unpeeled, quartered, cored, adn thinly sliced lengthwise
1 Fuji, Pink Lady, eastern Golden Delicious, McIntosh, or other sweet apple, unpeeled, quartered, cored adn thinly sliced lengthwise
1/2 cup walnut halves toasted
Wedge of sharp white Cheddar cheese
To make the dressing, whisk together the vinegar and olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
To make the salad, combine the radicchio, endive and frisee in a large salad bowl. Toss well. Add the apples and nuts and drizzle with the dressing. Toss again. Using a vegetable peeler or sharp paring knife, shave curls of the Cheddar cheese over the top. Serve at once.