A Seedy Character

Most people have heard of Johnny Appleseed.  John was a real person.  Born John Chapman in Massachusetss in 1774. 

The legend, as I recall it from my youth,  provokes an image of Johnny Appleseed frolicking from place to place planting apple trees where ever he went.  This story, like most, has but a seed of truth to it.  Johnny DID grow apple trees, this is true.  However, it was for a means of making a modest living for himself and not for sheer kindness.  Johnny established and maintained several orchards across the Ohio Valley.  He would grow the trees for one or two years and then sell the little trees for 6 cents a piece to settlers.

Johnny Applesead . . . an early American entrepreneur . . . capitalism is as American as Apple Pie.

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For Thanksgiving this year I volunteered to make pies.  For the sake of variety, I wanted to try a different apple pie recipe.  This is what I came up with and it was rich and warming with the tastes of vanilla, maple and cinnamon.  I did good.  Nom-dilly-icious!

Vanilla-Maple Apple Pie

• 2 Pounds Granny Smith Apples, Peeled, Thinly Sliced
• 4 Teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 1/2 Cups Water
• 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
• 2/3 Cup Cornstarch
• 1 Dash Salt
• 3 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Dash Ground Nutmeg

Toss apple slices with lemon juice and set aside. 

Combine water, maple syrup, vanilla, sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large saucepan, stirring until well mixed.

Bring maple syrup mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves, and the mixture thickens and caramelly. 

Fold in apple slices and return to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to stand for 15 minutes before spooning into a prepared pie crust.

Top with pats of unsalted butter and cover with a second crust. 

Make sure to cut vents into the tip crust.

Bake at 400 Degrees F for 40 minutes or until 

crust turns golden brown.

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As an aside . . . an apple peeler / corer is an absolutely time saver!

Homemade Apple Pie