Lunch & Hoch Orchard Apples!

Yummy Apple & Wild Rice Broccoli Slaw-great side dish for Thanksgiving...

Crisp fall air means sweater weather, raking leaves, and of course, picking & eating locally grown apples!

There are well over 100 orchards in Minnesota.  All have Autumn Calendars with special events, hayrides, corn mazes, cider houses & a variety of apple picking and apple tastings for families and foodies alike!

One of my favorite apple varieties is the Minnesota born and raised Honey Crisp Apple.  I try to get my Honey Crisp Apples from a local, organic farm located in LaCresent called Hoch Orchards. If you don't have time to visit this lovely farm, their beautiful produce is available at the following markets:

La Crosse Cameron Park - Friday night Farmers Market
Winona Farmers Market
Seward Co-op
The Wedge Co-op
Mississippi Market Co-ops
Co-op Partners Warehouse

For an apple orchard near you visit Minnesota Grown online and enter "apples" into their online directory.

The Honey Crisp apple was developed by the University of Minnesota. Its most unique quality is the extremely crisp and delicate texture. There really is no other apple like it in Minnesota. The flavor has a nice balance between sugar and acid giving it a sweet taste with a hint of tartness. The flavor is mild.

In the autumn, I dream up and prepare as many apple salads as I can incorporating different grains, greens, and slaws, and I am happy to share them with you.

I am starting with an Apple Slaw recipe -- easy and fast to make, perfect for a side dish or scoop it onto a delicious grilled Ferndale Market turkey burger! Enjoy!