It is that time of year again, when the days begin to shorten, the nights bring a chill and the leaves start to turn. It’s time for apples!

Harvesting apples was an annual event I eagerly anticipated. There was a “Pick Your Own” Orchard a few miles from my home and each year we would pile large wicker baskets, metal wash tubs, buckets and whatever else we could find into the pick-up, along with the ladder, and drive out to the orchard.

There would always be some type of reunion there. Neighbors who had moved off, returning to pick. Uncles, aunts, and cousins from all over would be there to pick apples. We would fill our baskets and tubs with Red Delicious, Yellow Delicious and especially Granny Smith’s. The Granny Smith’s would keep (stay fresh) longer than any other apple. And they were the best for canning, making pies, apple butter and most of all APPLE DUMPLINGS!

I remember my grandfather sitting on the front porch peeling and coring apples the next day, while my grandmother would be inside making the dough for the dumplings. My grandfather always said that if you could peel an apple from tip to core, and the peeling stayed in one piece, it was a sign of good luck. My grandmother would then tell me that if you dropped the peel behind you, it would fall in the shape of the first letter of your true love’s name.

Wrapping the apples was fun, but Ahhh… the smell of those dumplings cooking! Apple cinnamon spice filled the air. Everyone would be smiling and waiting with expectation of those delicious apple dumplings. Just about the time when you thought your taste buds would desert you, my grandmother would open the oven door, releasing a renewed bouquet of fragrance!

It’s that time of year again, when the fond memories of childhood fill my mind and my mouth waters once again for a taste of those Apple Dumplings!

Gary Arbaugh

You can find Gary’s Grandmother’s Apple Dumpling recipe at his wonderful recipe and good living blog, http://recipes4goofoodrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/09/grandmas-apple-dumplings.html