If there’s ever a time to justify dessert, it’s now. No need to conjure up justifications on your own. This month, I’m treating you to a handful of high-quality retorts for the dessert naysayers in your life.
When it comes to growing food, supply and demand rarely align perfectly. We hit a point in the growing season when Mother Nature gives it her all. This is evident by fruit-bearing limbs, sagging under the weight of (almost) ready-to-eat apples, pears, peaches and plums.
What a shame it would be for this food to go to waste. The USDA aims to reduce food waste in half by 2030. Won’t you help?
Knowing we only have so much room in our refrigerator and stomach, we turn to food preservation to enjoy seasonal produce over time. I propose water bath canning as a method of choice because it’s precisely the technique one uses for fruit pie filling. (Don’t forget to adjust your processing time for our elevation.)
For more
Families with teens, Health Without Barriers starts Sept. 12. Give your family the tools to reach health goals. Call (970) 657-0141.
Canning season is here. Remember to have your pressure canner dial gauge tested annually. Call 382-6461.
Water bath canning is a laborious process. Certainly not an activity you dive into for a couple of jars of food. This is perfect because in three to four months, the holidays will be upon us. Do you know what you’re going to need during the holidays? Pie filling.
Not just pie filling, but it also happens to be the gift-giving season. You’ll need pie and you’ll need gifts. An efficient planner recognizes that when you have an abundance of fruit and you’ll soon need gifts, the logical solution is to make and can pie filling. Some for you and some for your loved ones.
Oh, did I mention my birthday is in December?
Furthermore, to make an apple pie in November or December, you can expect to spend at least $5 on apples and $2.50 on the remaining ingredients. The cost of apples gleaned from local trees now? $0. Need I say more?
Next argument. There are six essential nutrient categories we need from our diet to survive: water, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Within these broader categories, there are specific nutrients we need to function. For example, there are 13 essential vitamins, including vitamin C and vitamin E. Examples of minerals include calcium, phosphorus and salt.
No single food is a good source of all nutrients, but across all food groups, we can find good sources of every nutrient we need. For this reason, you are encouraged to enjoy foods from each group, every day: proteins, grains, dairy, vegetables and fruits.
To round out my argument, fruit is a nutrient-dense food and good nutrition reduces the risk of disease. Hence the saying, “An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.”
According to my calculations, an apple pie contains about three to four pounds, or six to eight individual, apples. An apple pie has six to eight slices. That’s about one apple per slice. Therefore, it must be true that “A slice of apple pie keeps the doctor away.” That’s what I call good deductive reasoning!
Granted, I may have failed to identify all the facts, such as the health consequences of consuming too much added sugar and saturated fat (also in pie). Unfortunately, I’ve reached my word cap for this column; the whole story is to be continued.
Until then, remember to make and eat locally sourced apple (fruit) pie because it reduces food waste, makes a great gift, saves money and provides you with two servings of fruit so you won’t need to see the doctor. Which also saves you money.
Nicole Clark is director of La Plata County Extension Office. Reach her at nclark@lpcgov.org.
