Crunching Apples

You would think that , there is nothing simpler than THE original fruit, not quiet. Now pay attention because for the first time on this blog, you'll get "the scientific bit":
Apples are of the Rose family, they store well and still retain taste and nutritional values, contain vitamin C, no cholesterol & fibre, you get about 2 in a pound, average 110 calories. Supermarkets have been keen on storing local food lately to the benefit of a wider variety of apples.

Bramley: cook to a fluffy, melt in the mouth texture with a tart flavour, great in crumbles and pies, they go well with pork and sausages too.

English Royal Gala: Dessert apple, delicate flavour, keeps well

Egremont Russet: Quiet ugly, with a rich nutty flavour, excellent with cheese or in salad.

Spartan: The fairy tale apple, that scared the life out of me when I was a nipper, so that my dad had to drag me out & away from a screening of snow-white while screaming my head off, I bet he was as shiny-bright red as a spartan. But back to the science. the flesh is very white, juicy some say it smells of melon and strawberry.

Cox's: orange/yellowy red striky skin, without any doubt Britain's fav, its flavour is...cox's indeed

To know more about apples without having to trawl through millions of websites refering to Apple-Mac click on http://www.orangepippin.com/default.aspx : a mine of information.

Apple and raisin crunches

Ingredients:
Makes 10 to 12
100g (4oz) margarine, softened
100ml (3 1/2fl oz) honey (treacle can replace honey)
1 medium egg
1tsp vanilla extract (optional)
100g (4oz) stone ground whole wheat flour
pinch of baking soda
Pinch of ground cinnamon
25 g (1Oz) raisins
100g (4oz) porridge oats
1 medium apple, cored and chopped into small bits.

Method:

• preheat the oven to 190 C/mark 5
• In a large bowl and it has to be large, cream the margarine, honey, egg, vanilla (if you use).
• Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, stir well
• Then goes the oats, raisins and apple, stir equally thoroughly
• on a baking tray (greased) drop by spoonful and flatten a little
• bake for 8 to 10 minutes
• Allow the biscuits to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before you remove to the wire rack to cool completely.