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Apple Crumble and Sunday’s Tasting at EOX

It is autumn, so my cravings for apple desserts has been building. I wasn’t sure if I wanted a crumble, a crisp, a cobbler, a buckle, a Brown Betty, a grunt or a slump. Confused? A crumble has an oat-based streusel topping. A crisp has a streusel topping sans oats. A cobbler is topped with individually-dropped biscuits. A buckle uses a cakey batter underneath the fruit and as the fruit sinks to the bottom the cake “buckles” over the edges of the fruit. A grunt and a slump is the same thing; it just depends on where you live. They are both cobblers that are cooked covered, entirely on the stove-top or campfire. And a Brown Betty is a crisp with an extra layer of crisp on the bottom of the dessert as well as the top. I decided on a crumble because oats are good for you. Ha!

apple crumble

Apple Crumble

Ingredients

Filling
9 apples – peeled, cored, and sliced
1/2 cup golden raisins
3 tablespoons turbinado or white sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground clove
juice from half lemon
zest from half lemon

Topping
1-1/4 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup cold butter

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Peel, core and slice apples. Place each apple in ice cold water until all are sliced and ready. Then drain and pat dry.

In a small bowl mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and clove. Set aside. Add raisins to the apple slices. Squeeze juice from half a lemon over the apples. Toss to coat evenly.  Add the sugar and spice mixture to the apples and toss to coat evenly. Pour apple mixture into a 13×9 inch baking dish.

 

apple crumble

Place all topping ingredients in a separate bowl. Using a pastry cutter mash the cold butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs and pebbles.

apple crumble

Next spread the topping mixture over the apples. Pat the topping gently until even.

apple crumble

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and sides are bubbling, about 40 minutes.

apple crumble

Eat it plain or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

apple crumble

Download the Recipe Here: Apple Crumble


tasting weekend

Edmund’s Oast Exchange

On my facebook feed, I follow several of my fave wine retailers. I also follow the Charleston City Paper, our alternative weekly newspaper. (Think Reader in Chicago or Village Voice in New York City.) Anyway, they posted about a wine tasting at Edmund’s Oast Exchange, a new craft beer and wine retailer that would benefit those affected by the wildfires in Northern California.

It has only been open for a couple of months, so this was a perfect opportunity to check out the store and donate to a great cause. The tasting is free, but you are asked to put at least a $5.00 donation in the bowl to benefit the designated charity. You are then entered into a raffle and could wine a nice bottle of wine.

tasting weekend

Last Sunday’s tasting was a special tasting that was outside of their regular schedule. Thus there were only two wines, but they were both delicious. I really liked the Lioco Chardonnay. The Hirsch Pinot Noir is a good wine, but I was not taking copious notes, so I have no detailed information about either wine. I know lame. What can I say, I was caught up in the experience.

EOX, as it is called is a two-story shop.

The first floor is filled with craft beer along with the register. The second floor is all wine with a little tasting bar and a separate room called “Fancy Wine Room.” That just made me giggle.  While the wines in this room are pricey (there are a few under $100.00), it is actually stocked with wines that have been well-aged or can age very well. I have to admit that I was struck by some of the prices and how those wines must taste. One can dream.tasting weekend

Anyway, as I tasted the two wines, I wandered the store and was happy to learn that they have an excellent multiple bottle discount program. If you buy any three bottles, you get a 5% discount, any six bottles a 10% discount and any 12 bottles a 15% discount.  That is by far the best multi-bottle program that I have found. So I stocked up on a favorite rosé that is out of stock at one of my other retailers. I picked up a unique Gamay/Pinot Blend that everyone said is funky and unique. And grabbed the entry-level Lioco Chardonnay and a Lioco Rosé. I have yet to taste any of these, but you will be the first to know when I do.

 


That is all for today. Have a fantastic weekend. I am shooting a wedding on Saturday and relaxing on Sunday.

Cheers,

ricktasting weekend