How do you like Tamra’s Apples?

Did you know I grew up on a farm? True story. We had what’s called a hobby farm, small and nothing commercial about it. Still, it was a farm with cows, sheep, pigs, horses, chickens briefly (it’s an ugly story, let’s not get into it), plus a good-sized vegetable patch. My Mum used to pour the bucket of steaming cows milk into a gallon jar, sieving it through a tea towel to filter out bits of hay and whatnot. I think it took me awhile to realize some of the negatives of commercial farming because my experience was so idyllic.

It’s not a life I could re-create for my kids – I’ve become the kind of cliched urbanite who gets nervous away from cell reception – but I do want them to have a sense of where our food comes from. We took a drive last Saturday to Orchalaw Farms just outside of Toronto to pick apples. It was a ridiculously beautiful day, crisp but sunny and for once we got smart and timed Julian’s morning nap for the ride out there. They have several varieties growing – you choose what kind of apples you’d like to pick and tell the tractor driver so he drops you off at the right orchard. I’ve never been to a commercial orchard and was surprised to see how short the trees are. They’re pruned to keep the fruit low and easy to pick. Of course, when you’re three you still need a little boost.

The kids had a great time and we picked a big bag of apples. When we got home I started to worry – what was I going to do with all those apples? Allergies in our family mean we have to cook apples so it’s not like I could just leave a big bowl out for everyone to snack on.

Then I thought of our old friend Tamra. Have you checked out http://www.tamradaviscookingshow.com/? Okay, she’s not our friend but Laura and I are both fans. I was introduced to her through Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop newsletter. A film maker by trade (the trailer for her documentary, Jean Michel Basquiat, Radiant Child, looks amazing), Davis’ food blog is a clearly a passion project. Her videos are a delight – healthy recipes, lovingly made, all against the backdrop of a haute-boho lifestyle in New York. Davis and husband, Mike D of The Beastie Boys, hangout with the coolest of the cool – it took me a minute to realize that the really pretty Mum over for brunch in one of her videos was Christy Turlington. This apple cake recipe was one of the first of hers I tried. It’s so easy and really good. The video that goes with it is particularly great. http://www.tamradaviscookingshow.com/?s=apple+cake

Apple Cake

3 good sized apples, washed, peeled and chopped
1 cup sugar
1/2 stick softened butter
1/2 cup apple sauce (perfect for me, I’d already made a big batch)
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease a baking dish.

Mix sugar, butter, apple sauce and egg.

Whisk flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon.

Blend wet and dry ingredients and then add apples and nuts. The batter will be very chunky!

Pour into your baking dish and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Test with a toothpick or knife, it’s cooked when it comes out clean.

This cake lasted about a day and a half in our house. I love that it’s as much apple as it is cake. Now I just need think of what to do with the other 36 apples still in my kitchen….