Vivid flavour

Nicola Galloway’s taste memories guide these warm, comforting apple recipes.

The more we recall a memory the more likely we are to remember an event. I am certain our senses play a part in this, the more heightened they are during an experience the better we will remember. Taste in particular can transport us to an exact place and time.

One such vivid taste memory for me involves sipping hot spiced apple cider at a roadside stall in the Okanagan Valley (British Columbia, Canada). The orchard stall had a selection of heritage apples along with large bottles of cloudy apple cider (pressed juice, not alcoholic cider) and jars of apple sauce. There was also a thermos of hot apple cider to fill up our travel mugs. The recipe below uses this taste memory as a guide.

Apple sauce is an ingredient used in Northern American baking. It is basically pureed cooked apples, and one I know well from my Dutch grandma, who always had a bowl of it on the breakfast table, or to serve alongside pork. It is easy to prepare and through autumn and winter I often have a jar in the fridge.

To prepare apple sauce; peel, core and roughly chop 6-8 apples – choose cooking apples such as cox’s orange, sturmer pippin or ballarat, or easy-to-find granny smith and braeburn. Place the apples into a saucepan with 1⁄4 cup water (just enough to steam the apples), cover and cook over a low heat for about 30 minutes until tender. Mash until smooth, or puree with a stick blender. A mouli or food mill can also be used here (my preference), in which case skip the peeling and coring, simply cut the apples into wedges and cook as above. Once tender, pass through a mouli to separate the creamy apple flesh from the tough core and skin. Store apple sauce in a jar in the fridge and use within a week.

Apple, chamomile and lemon loaf

Apple and chamomile is such a wonderful combination, with the chamomile adding a unique flavour note to the loaf. I used dried chamomile flowers from the garden, rubbing the dried flowers first to break them up. The flowers are edible and cook into the cake, while adding a gentle texture to the syrup. If preferred, the syrup can be strained through a sieve to remove the herb pieces before spooning over the cooked loaf. If you don’t have a few chamomile tea bags at the ready it can be left out, but the chamomile really does add something special to this loaf.

Preparation time: 20 minutes Cook time: 35-40 minutes Serves 8-10 slices

■ 11⁄2 cups (225g) plain white flour (can use wheat, spelt or gluten-free mix)

■ 1 tsp baking powder

■ 1⁄2 tsp baking soda

■ Pinch of fine salt

■ 1⁄3 cup sugar or honey

■ 2 eggs

■ 100ml olive oil (or use a milder oil)

■ 3⁄4 cup (about 200g) apple sauce (see directions above)

■ Zest of 1 lemon

■ 1 chamomile tea bag, or 1 tsp dried chamomile (optional)

Lemon chamomile syrup

■ 2 tbsp sugar

■ 1 chamomile tea bag, or 1 tsp dried chamomile

■ Juice of 1 lemon, about 3-4 tbsp

Preheat the oven to 180C (fan 160C). Lightly grease a loaf tin and line with a strip of baking paper, leaving extra overhang for lifting out the baked loaf.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs and oil until aerated and creamy. Add the apple sauce, lemon zest and the contents of the tea bag (if using). If using loose dried chamomile, rub gently between your fingers to break up the flowers. Whisk to combine.

Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and use a spatula to fold together until just combined. Pour into the tin and smooth off the surface. It will be quite a wet batter, this is perfect.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

While the loaf is cooking, prepare the syrup. In a small bowl combine the sugar and contents of the chamomile tea bag (again rubbing the loose herb to break up larger pieces if needed). Add the lemon juice and mix to combine. Set aside for the sugar to dissolve and the herb to infuse.

When the loaf comes out of the oven, immediately pierce it half a dozen times with a small knife then spoon over the lemon syrup (straining first to remove the chamomile if you wish).

Leave to cool in the tin, then use the baking paper overhang to lift and transfer the loaf to a serving plate. Cut the loaf into slices to serve, with yoghurt or on its own.

Hot spiced apple cider

This is not an alcoholic drink, but is hot apple juice gently infused with warming spices. Like a hot chocolate or chai it warms from the inside out.

It is best made with cloudy pressed apple juice rather than clear refined juice. This can be found at supermarkets, or if you are lucky at produce markets direct from the apple grower.

Alternatively, if you have some apples to use up, chop 6-8 apples into quarters (don’t peel or core). Place in a saucepan with 5 cups water, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve, pressing out as much juice as possible and compost the solids. Return the juice to the pan and follow the directions below, adding honey or sugar to sweeten if needed as this will be more diluted than using straight apple juice.

Preparation time: 5 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Makes 4 glasses

■ 750ml (3 cups) pressed apple juice

■ 250g (1 cup) water

■ 1 cinnamon quill

■ 8 whole cloves

■ 8 whole allspice (or 1⁄2 tsp mixed spice)

■ About 1⁄4 tsp grated nutmeg

■ 4 strips of lemon zest

Place all of the ingredients into a saucepan. Cover and heat over a low heat.

Once the juice is steaming, remove the lid and gently cook for 15-20 minutes. Aim to keep it just under a boil so the spices can gently infuse the juice.

Remove from the heat, cool a little then strain into 4 glasses or mugs. Add a strip of lemon zest to each glass and serve.

This drink can be made ahead of time, leaving the spices in the juice, then gently reheating.

Nicola Galloway is an awardwinning food writer, cookbook author and culinary tutor. Visit: homegrown-kitchen.co.nz.