The fall season has definitely arrived and these cooler temperatures call out to me: “Apple pie … apple pie.”

Peter and I have planned our annual pilgrimage to Turner this week to pick Honey Crisp apples at our favorite orchard.

My mouth is watering in anticipation of plucking a big, fat juicy apple from a branch, giving it a quick shine on my sleeve and then that first, crunchy bite, yummy!

The apple is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits. Apple trees originated in Central Asia and have been grown for thousands of years in Asia and Europe. They were brought to North America by European colonists. There are over 7,500 known varieties of apples throughout the world and 2,500 known varieties grown in the United States. There are nearly 100 different apples grown commercially in our country with 15 varieties accounting for about 90 percent of the production.

They are (in order of preference): Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, McIntosh, Gala, Rome, Jonathan, Idared (new one to me), Empire, York, Cortland, Northern Spy, Rhode Island Greening (another newbie for me) and Stayman. (Honey Crisp hasn’t made the list yet but I bet it will.)

About 69 million tons of apples were grown worldwide in 2010, with China producing almost half of this total. The U.S. is the second-leading producer with more than 6 percent of world production. Turkey is third, followed by Italy, India and Poland. (Source; U.S. Apple Association)

An apple pie isn’t just about the filling; the crust should be flaky and crispy and complement the softness of the apples. This buttery crust fits the bill every time.

Rich and delicious pie dough

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 14 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 1/2 cup ice cold water

Pulse flour, salt, and butter in a food processor until pea sized pieces. Add water; pulse until dough comes together. Divide dough in half and flatten each half into a disk. Wrap disks in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour before using. Yield: 2 crusts. (Note: Dough may be frozen. Once shaped into a disc, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month.)

Caramel crunch apple pie

• 28 vanilla caramels, unwrapped (I used Kraft)
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 5 cups thinly sliced and peeled Granny Smith apples (about 2 lbs.)
• 1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches), purchased or homemade
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

• Vanilla ice cream

Combine caramels and water in a small saucepan set over low heat. Cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes or until melted and smooth.

Arrange a third of the apples in pastry shell; drizzle with a third of the caramel mixture. Repeat layers twice. In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar and cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in walnuts and sprinkle mixture evenly over pie.

Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 40-45 minutes or until apples are tender. (If crust edges begin to brown too much, cover them with foil.) Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Apple chutney

• 3 tart apples (like Granny Smith) cored, diced and peeled
• 1/2 cup diced white onion
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger root
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. grainy mustard
• 1/4 tsp. hot pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup golden raisins

Combine apples, onion, ginger, orange juice, vinegar, sugar, mustard hot pepper flakes and salts in a Dutch oven placed over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to simmer; cook 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in raisins. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks or it may be processed in a boiling water bath like you would applesauce. Yield: about 1-1/2 cups.

Apple and cheddar soup

• 3 slices bacon
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1-1/2 cups unsweetened apple juice
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided use
• 2 slices seedless rye bread, toasted and crusts removed
• 1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 4 green onions, finely chopped

Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven set over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels; let cool and then rough chop. Set aside.

Pour out all but 2 Tbsp. of the bacon drippings from the pot. Increase the heat to medium high; add onion, apples and potato and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the apples are soft. Add chicken broth, apple juice, salt, and pepper and simmer for 5-6 minutes or until potato is soft. Add all but 2 Tbsp. of the cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Remove pan from heat and let cool slightly. Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender and puree. Return to the pot and season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Spread the bread with the mustard and sprinkle with the reserved 2 Tbsp. cheese. Broil about 30 seconds or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and cut into 1 inch squares. Ladle soup into 4 bowls and top with the bacon, chives, and cheese croutons. Yield: 4 servings.

Mrs. Harry (Bess) Truman’s Ozark pudding

• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
• 1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup chopped, peeled apples
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine egg and sugar in a medium bowl and beat until smooth. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, whisking to blend. Stir into egg mixture. Add nuts, apples and vanilla and stir just until combined. Spoon into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with non-stick spray and bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 30-35 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Yield: 4 servings. (Note: Recipe edited for modern cooking.)

Pork tenderloin with apple stuffing

• 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb.)

For the stuffing

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 medium Granny Smith or Cortland apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp. marjoram
• 1/2 tsp. savory
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

For the glaze::

• 4 Tbsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. brown mustard

Slice pork tenderloins open lengthwise without cutting all the way through. Place open tenderloins between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound with meat mallet and flatten to uniform thickness of 1/2-inch.

To prepare the stuffing: Heat the butter in a skillet set over medium heat. Add the apples and onion and sauté about 5 minutes or until lightly brown and soft. Add the bread crumbs, marjoram and savory, and toss gently to moisten the crumbs. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle the inside of the tenderloin with salt and pepper and then spread the apple stuffing over the surface. Roll the tenderloin lengthwise and tie every couple of inches with butcher’s twine. Place the skillet over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. When hot, add the pork and brown it on all sides. Transfer to a baking dish.

To prepare the glaze: Combine the honey, sugar, vinegar and mustard in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Pour over the pork and bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 45 minutes, basting with the glaze 3-4 times. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Yield: 4 servings.

Apple-date oatmeal bars

For the apple-date filling:

• 2 Honey Crisp apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp. water
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 pkg. (10-oz.) chopped dates

For the bars:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt

To prepare the apple-date filling: Combine apples, sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Cook 6-7 minutes or until are slightly tender. Add dates; cook 2 min­utes more, stirring constantly, or until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat; cool 15 minutes before spreading on dough. Yield: about 2 cups.

To make the bars: Beat butter with both sugars in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed. When fluffy, add egg and beat until combined. Set aside. Combine flour, oats, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Gradually add to butter mixture; beat until combined.

Measure out and reserve 1-1/2 cups dough. Press remaining dough into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan coated with non-stick spray. Spread Apple-Date Filling over dough. Spoon reserved 1-1/2 cups dough by tablespoonfuls over filling. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting into bars. Yield: about 24 bars.

Paula Anderson is a freelance journalist specializing in food, entertaining and nutrition. She writes for several newspapers, as well as Maine Food & Lifestyle Magazine. She divides her time between Scarborough and Hobe Sound, Fla., where she lives with her husband Peter. Email her at pander@maine.rr.com.