The First Taste of Fall: Apples & Pears

There’s always a moment when I realize fall has arrived. Here in Southern California, it isn’t necessarily because the temperature has dropped or the leaves have started changing. Sometimes, it’s simply walking through the market and seeing beautiful displays of crisp apples and ripe pears.

To me, apples and pears are some of the first tastes of fall.

I love them because they’re delicious just as they are, but they’re also incredibly versatile in the kitchen. Slice them into a salad, pair them with nuts and cheese, cook them alongside a savory meal, or bake them with cinnamon and warm spices and suddenly the whole kitchen smells like fall.

They also happen to bring plenty of good nutrition to the table.

An Apple a Day Still Has a Lot Going for It

Apples may be an everyday fruit, but there’s a lot packed inside them.

They provide fiber, vitamin C, and a variety of plant compounds, including polyphenols. Apples also contain quercetin, a flavonoid found particularly in the peel.

That’s one reason I like to leave the peel on when it works for the recipe. The skin contains fiber and many of the apple’s beneficial plant compounds.

And with so many varieties available, apples certainly don’t have to be boring.

For snacking: Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Gala are naturally sweet and crisp.

For baking: Granny Smith brings a wonderful tartness and holds its shape well, while Braeburn and Fuji offer a nice balance of sweetness and texture.

For salads: I like a crisp apple that won’t disappear among the other ingredients. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Fuji are all delicious choices.

Don’t Forget the Pears

Pears sometimes get overshadowed by apples when fall arrives, but I think they deserve just as much attention.

A ripe pear is naturally sweet, fragrant, and wonderfully juicy. Pears also provide fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and beneficial plant compounds.

Like apples, much of a pear’s fiber is found in or near the skin, so I generally enjoy pears unpeeled when the preparation allows.

Different varieties have different personalities, too.

Bosc pears are one of my favorites for cooking and baking because their firmer texture holds up beautifully when heated.

Bartlett pears become soft and wonderfully juicy as they ripen and are delicious eaten fresh.

Anjou pears are another versatile choice because they work well both fresh and cooked.

Sweet Fruit Can Be Savory, Too

Apples and pears naturally make us think about pies, crisps, and desserts, but I also love using them in savory dishes.

Try sliced apples in a salad with arugula, walnuts, and a little cheese. Add diced pear to a grain salad. Serve roasted pears alongside chicken or pork, or combine apples with cabbage for a colorful fall side dish.

One of my favorite simple combinations is sliced apple or pear with a handful of walnuts or pecans. The fruit provides natural sweetness and the nuts add satisfying crunch.

Sometimes the simplest combinations are the best.

FoodTrients Tip: Keep Them Fresh

Apples will generally keep much longer when refrigerated rather than left in a fruit bowl, so I store most of mine in the refrigerator and take out what I need.

Pears are different. They’re typically harvested before they’re fully ripe and continue ripening after they’re picked. I leave them at room temperature until they’re ready to eat and then refrigerate them to slow further ripening.

Here’s an easy trick: gently press near the neck of the pear with your thumb. If it gives slightly, it’s usually ready to enjoy.

And Now for Dessert…

Of course, I couldn’t talk about apples and pears without making something wonderful with them.

My Pear & Apple Tart was inspired by the classic French tarte Tatin, in which fruit is caramelized and baked beneath a pastry crust before being turned upside down for serving.

My version combines apples and Bosc pears with cinnamon and toasted pecans. I use a whole-wheat crust for a little extra whole-grain goodness.

It’s beautiful enough to serve to guests but still has the rustic quality I love in a fall dessert.

Pear & Apple Tart

Serves 6–8

Ingredients

6 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces
½ cup sugar, combined with ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
4 apples (Braeburn, Granny Smith, Gala, or Fuji), peeled, cored, and cut in half
2 Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and cut in half
½ lemon, seeds removed
½ cup toasted, coarsely chopped pecans
1 (9-inch) whole-wheat pie crust

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. In a cold 8-inch cast-iron skillet, evenly distribute half of the butter pieces. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the bottom of the pan.
3. Arrange the apples and pears, cut side up, over the butter and sugar. Pack the fruit fairly tightly because it will shrink somewhat as it cooks.
4. Squeeze the lemon juice over the fruit. Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture and dot with the remaining butter.
5. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the butter has melted and the sugar begins to caramelize. If necessary, rotate the pan for even cooking, but don’t stir the fruit.
6. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the toasted pecans over the fruit.
7. Place the whole-wheat pie crust over the top, carefully tucking the edges inside the skillet.
8. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
9. Allow the tart to cool for approximately 10 minutes so the caramel can thicken slightly. Carefully invert the tart onto a serving plate while it is still warm.

Slice and enjoy!

FoodTrients®

Quercetin — a flavonoid found in apples and many other plant foods.

Fiber — found naturally in apples, pears, pecans, and whole grains and important for digestive health.

Vitamin E — found in nuts such as pecans and valued for its antioxidant activity.

Polyphenols — naturally occurring plant compounds found in apples, pears, cinnamon, and pecans.

Healthy Fats — pecans provide primarily unsaturated fats along with other nutrients.

A Delicious Way to Welcome Fall

I believe healthy eating should leave room for foods we simply enjoy.

This tart contains butter and sugar—it’s dessert! But it also brings together beautiful seasonal fruits, pecans, cinnamon, and whole grains. Enjoy a slice, savor it, and share it with people you love.

That balance is an important part of how I approach food.

So the next time you see those beautiful displays of apples and pears at the market, bring a few home. Eat them fresh, add them to dinner, bake something wonderful, and enjoy one of the first delicious signs that fall has arrived.