Granny Smith

When one of my culinary assistants called to ask for ideas for appetizers to serve at a wine-tasting party, I was eager to help. My friend explained that her schedule had become hectic and, as the party date approached, she found herself with practically no time to prepare hors d'oeuvres to accompany the chosen vintages. "Choose simple dishes that require little or no cooking," I suggested, then proposed two I rely on when time is short. A recipe for tart apple slices topped with quince paste and shaved Manchego cheese was my first suggestion.

Tart or sweet? That is the question that area apple enthusiasts face this fall as a bountiful crop comes to market. Do you favor the agreeably sharp taste of a Macintosh, a Stamen Winesap, a Granny Smith? Or are you the kind of eater that goes for sweetness, one who is drawn to Gala, Red Delicious, or the honeyed juice of the hot shot Honeycrisp? Eaters in either camp, as well as those "fence hoppers" who snack on both sides of the spectrum, have plenty to pick from this autumn. The locally grown apples at farmers markets, roadside stands and even some supermarkets are both bountiful and beautiful.

Candied apples are an easy, fun way to celebrate Halloween -- for kids and kids-at-heart. They can be tricked out with sprinkles, nuts or other toppings, or left simply red. Either way, they make a cinnamon-scented, portable nosh for a party. Shirley Coleman, a chef instructor at Baltimore International College, likes to use tart Granny Smith apples as a balance against the sweet coating. She recommends buying uniformly shaped apples free of bumps and bruises. Wash the apples, but make sure you dry them completely before coating them.

When one of my culinary assistants called to ask for ideas for appetizers to serve at a wine-tasting party, I was eager to help. My friend explained that her schedule had become hectic and, as the party date approached, she found herself with practically no time to prepare hors d'oeuvres to accompany the chosen vintages. "Choose simple dishes that require little or no cooking," I suggested, then proposed two I rely on when time is short. A recipe for tart apple slices topped with quince paste and shaved Manchego cheese was my first suggestion.

If your children think dessert is the reason to eat a meal or that appetizing means anything advertised on television, then the revised "Taming of the C.A.N.D.Y. Monster" (Book Peddlers, 1999) by Vicki Lansky is the resource for you.The book, which first was published 20 years ago, offers practical hints and uncomplicated recipes for the pickiest eaters. Try Angel's Delight for less than 200 calories a serving. Take an angel food cake (store-bought or homemade), top with frozen whipped topping (regular or light)

Cookbook author Ken Haedrich describes himself "not as a recipe collector but an idea collector." Haedrich, who lives in Annapolis, has been culling ideas for his latest book, Apple Pie Perfect (Harvard Common Press, $29.95 hardcover, $15.95 softcover), since childhood -- and he has both parents to thank. For them, pie baking was a joint effort. His mother prepared the filling, his father took care of mixing and rolling out the crust. "It's the beginning of the story," he says. "What a great weekend ritual."

Banana. Toast. Mushroom. Salmon. Sage. Granny Smith. Maize. Poppy. Berry.Food? No, fashion. We're talking color, but do you have any idea what shades those are?America's fashion industry takes the naming of colors seriously. For instance, the hot citrus colors of the past season lime, lemon and tangerine have given way to Granny Smith (apple green), banana and poppy.Greens and blues are big this season and will be monstrous next year because of the ecology craze, color specialists predict.

Although the recent snowstorm caused more than a little disruption in the lives of most people, there are some members of the Columbia community who deserve special accolades.I received calls from John Walker, the director of community relations at Howard County General Hospital, and Pam Karwan, the assistant vice-president of public relations and marketing at HCGH. Both wanted to express their thanks to the hundreds of citizens who contacted the hospital offering help during the recent blizzard.

Thanksgiving's cornucopia spilled out under the Jones Falls Expressway yesterday. Display tables sagged beneath piles of pears, broccoli, onions, sweet potatoes and red, green and yellow apples that seemed to glow in the morning sunshine. Shoppers, dressed in everything from sweat suits to their Sunday best, wound toward the exits of the Baltimore Farmers' Market with wagons, sacks and plastic bags brimming with fresh salad greens, carrots, hams and turkeys. Even the temperatures were refrigerator-perfect yesterday for what is typically the busiest day of the year for the market, which is open Sundays through Dec. 18 at Holliday and Saratoga streets.

Craving an apple so crisp it crackles with each bite? So fresh that juice squirts into your mouth and dribbles down your chin? Whether you like your fruit sweet or tart, for a sensational, apple-licious experience this fall, pick your apples right off the tree at Larriland Farm in Woodbine. "There's hardly a person in the United States that doesn't like apples," said Larriland co-owner Lynn Moore. Together with her parents, Larry and Polly Moore, and her brothers, Guy and Fenby, Lynn Moore manages the pick-your-own crops of fruit and vegetables, which includes 18 varieties of apples.

Candied apples are an easy, fun way to celebrate Halloween -- for kids and kids-at-heart. They can be tricked out with sprinkles, nuts or other toppings, or left simply red. Either way, they make a cinnamon-scented, portable nosh for a party. Shirley Coleman, a chef instructor at Baltimore International College, likes to use tart Granny Smith apples as a balance against the sweet coating. She recommends buying uniformly shaped apples free of bumps and bruises. Wash the apples, but make sure you dry them completely before coating them.

Thanksgiving's cornucopia spilled out under the Jones Falls Expressway yesterday. Display tables sagged beneath piles of pears, broccoli, onions, sweet potatoes and red, green and yellow apples that seemed to glow in the morning sunshine. Shoppers, dressed in everything from sweat suits to their Sunday best, wound toward the exits of the Baltimore Farmers' Market with wagons, sacks and plastic bags brimming with fresh salad greens, carrots, hams and turkeys. Even the temperatures were refrigerator-perfect yesterday for what is typically the busiest day of the year for the market, which is open Sundays through Dec. 18 at Holliday and Saratoga streets.

Craving an apple so crisp it crackles with each bite? So fresh that juice squirts into your mouth and dribbles down your chin? Whether you like your fruit sweet or tart, for a sensational, apple-licious experience this fall, pick your apples right off the tree at Larriland Farm in Woodbine. "There's hardly a person in the United States that doesn't like apples," said Larriland co-owner Lynn Moore. Together with her parents, Larry and Polly Moore, and her brothers, Guy and Fenby, Lynn Moore manages the pick-your-own crops of fruit and vegetables, which includes 18 varieties of apples.

If there's a standout in the parade of autumn desserts, it's apple pie. American in spirit and built on a seasonal favorite, this old-time classic infuses the kitchen with the sweet aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg. Apple pie is simple to make. Cooks should have at least one favorite recipe in their repertoire. Some decisions, such as the variety of apple to use, the kind of sugar and the type of fat to use in the dough, are a matter of individual taste. Experimenting to find your perfect apple pie is a smart idea.

Cookbook author Ken Haedrich describes himself "not as a recipe collector but an idea collector." Haedrich, who lives in Annapolis, has been culling ideas for his latest book, Apple Pie Perfect (Harvard Common Press, $29.95 hardcover, $15.95 softcover), since childhood -- and he has both parents to thank. For them, pie baking was a joint effort. His mother prepared the filling, his father took care of mixing and rolling out the crust. "It's the beginning of the story," he says. "What a great weekend ritual."

Visiting Lisa Anne Portera is like going to see the Sugarplum Fairy. Walking into her cozy tea room, you are embraced by sweet shades of raspberry on the walls and the intoxicating smell of chocolate wafting from the kitchen of the century-old home that serves as headquarters for Portera's successful toffee apple and tea room business. "My family has been in the food business somewhere on Charles Street for over 70 years," says the brown-eyed Mount Washington resident and third-generation purveyor of fine foods.

Tart or sweet? That is the question that area apple enthusiasts face this fall as a bountiful crop comes to market. Do you favor the agreeably sharp taste of a Macintosh, a Stamen Winesap, a Granny Smith? Or are you the kind of eater that goes for sweetness, one who is drawn to Gala, Red Delicious, or the honeyed juice of the hot shot Honeycrisp? Eaters in either camp, as well as those "fence hoppers" who snack on both sides of the spectrum, have plenty to pick from this autumn. The locally grown apples at farmers markets, roadside stands and even some supermarkets are both bountiful and beautiful.

If there's a standout in the parade of autumn desserts, it's apple pie. American in spirit and built on a seasonal favorite, this old-time classic infuses the kitchen with the sweet aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg. Apple pie is simple to make. Cooks should have at least one favorite recipe in their repertoire. Some decisions, such as the variety of apple to use, the kind of sugar and the type of fat to use in the dough, are a matter of individual taste. Experimenting to find your perfect apple pie is a smart idea.

Ask Steve Weber of Weber's Cider Mill Farm for his favorite apple, and it's like a kid in a candy shop -- he can't say no. "I don't think there's a whole lot around that beats a Jonathan," says Weber, a third-geneeration apple seller from Parkville. But then he adds: "I like Cortlands as they come in. I like Jonagold. I like Golden Delicious, Stayman, Winesap and Fuji -- oh, the Fuji has incredible sugar." After that, he's all over the place. "Northern Spy for pies. Now, there's an apple that does incredibly well in the oven.

Who's the apple of her eye? Nelda Ring wouldn't be able to choose just one. There's her husband, Harry, her five children, her 17 grandchildren and her two great-grandchildren. The Columbia resident was named a finalist in the "Search for Granny Smith," a national contest for the greatest grandmother sponsored by the Washington Apple Commission in Wenatchee, Wash. Ring, 71, whose grandchildren range in age from 4 to 25, says being a grandmother "means love and caring and sharing, as well as teaching and setting an example."