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Hannukah is fast approaching and I have my skillets ready to fry up some latkes. We have many great recipes for savory pancakes made with Russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, cheese, and even turnips (well, turnips and potatoes). We recommend that you try any and all of them.

But a great Hannukah meal also requires great accompaniments. Personally, I believe that both sour cream and homemade applesauce are essential. To that end, I share this recipe for perfect applesauce from my book, The Apple Lover’s Cookbook. 

Classic Applesauce Recipe

Applesauce is so simple that a recipe seems a little redundant. But there is a right way to make it. First, leave the peels on. They add flavor, vitamins, and a little color—-you’ll remove them later when you run the sauce through a food mill, sieve, or strainer. Second, do use a food mill if you have it—it creates the best velvety texture. Third, the amount of sugar you add depends on the apples you choose, so start with a tablespoon and keep adding and tasting until you get it right. 

Note: As with apple pie, the more apple varieties you use, the better your sauce will be. My favorite varieties for sauce are McIntosh and Macoun, followed closely by Cox’s Orange Pippin, Liberty, Cortland, Empire, and Jonathan. If you’re at the supermarket and can’t find any of these varieties, try mixing something tart, like a Granny Smith, with something sweet, like a Gala or Fuji.

Ingredients

3 pounds (about 6 large) apples (see Note)

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon granulated sugar, plus more to taste

Directions

Core the apples (do not peel), then cut into large chunks (about 2 inches). Put the apples and water into a 3- to 4-quart pot over medium-high heat and cover. When the water begins producing vigorous steam, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples become quite tender and can be smashed with the back of a wooden spoon, 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the variety.

Process the apples through a food mill, sieve, or strainer until all of the sauce is extracted. Add sugar, taste, and add more sugar a tablespoon at a time, until you find your perfect level of sweetness. Thin with additional water, if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yields: 3 cups

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Officially, fall begins with the autumnal equinox, when the sun’s center passes through the celestial equator from North to South. For most of us, though, fall begins when we see that first red maple leaf, walk out into the first chilly morning…or see the first pumpkin spice latte on a cafe menu.

Love it or hate it, there’s no escaping pumpkin spice muffins, smoothies, candles, and lotions at this time of year. Each year, the number of pumpkin spice -flavored or -scented products seems to grow to ridiculous proportions. There are even pumpkin spice trash bags and engagement rings for PS diehards.

But what, exactly, is pumpkin spice? And will it ever be unseated as fall’s dominant flavor?

Let’s take a deeper look.

What is “Pumpkin Spice?”

Typically, pumpkin spice refers to the blend of spices commonly used in pumpkin pie. That includes cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice. In simple baked goods like muffins and doughnuts, these flavors usually come from the ground spices themselves. But for lattes, beers, syrups, protein drinks, and other processed foods, the flavors often come from extracts and essential oils developed by food chemists. Many baked goods also incorporate pumpkin or squash puree, flavor extracts, or dehydrated pumpkin.

As a flavor or scent, “pumpkin spice” can mean a lot of things and there are many ways to approximate it. But what holds true for all of its fans is that it evokes everything cozy and autumnal, from foliage to sweater season. And this connection isn’t limited to New England. In the ancient Ayurvedic medical tradition, spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg are considered constitutionally “warming” and are recommended to balance the effects of colder weather. Considering their earthy color and mildly spicy flavor, this makes intuitive sense.

And if pumpkin spice feels a bit too familiar and overdone for your tastes, a newer fall obsession is taking shape.

Is “Cider Donut” the new “Pumpkin Spice?”

Enter the cider donut. For those of us looking for a new fall flavor sensation, this flavor combo of apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sometimes allspice has emerged over the past few years as a serious contender.

After all, cider donuts are just as deeply connected with some of our happiest fall memories, especially in New England. No pick-your-own apple orchard visit is complete without them. Like pumpkin spice, cider donuts evoke all the best sensory memories of the season. For products, we’re seeing the usual lattes, candles, soaps, baked goods. Planters has cider donut cashews. Oreo produces a limited edition run of cider donut cookies. Some hard cider producers make extra sweet “cider donut” flavored batches. But cider donut flavor has not reached the ubiquity of pumpkin spice and neither Starbucks nor Dunkin’ Donuts is offering a cider donut latte.

Still, we’re happy to see that fall flavor innovations are ongoing. What’s next? Apple Crisp?

Are you a fan of pumpkin spice? Let us know in the comments below!

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HOW TO MAKE BEACH PLUM JAM

GET THE RECIPE: Beach Plum Jam

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