WPSU / Local Food Journey

Local Food Journey

arugula, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, chard, corn, fava beans, garlic scapes, kale, lettuce, mushrooms, oregano, parsley, radishes, rhubarb, scallions, spinach, squash, strawberries, thyme, tomatoes, zucchini

Apple salad with feta a great way to celebrate fall’s flavors

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 09/21, 2015 at 08:34 PM

Apple salad with feta a great way to celebrate fall’s flavors

I’m from York, PA, which is most definitely part of Pennsylvania apple country. I remember as a kid getting pretty excited about this time of year, because I loved and still love apples. September was the beginning of apple season at the many orchards that dot York, Adams, and Lancaster Counties. I remember the apple cider flowing freely, both the “soft” and “hard” variety (including a variety of moonshine called “apple jack” that I discovered as a grown-up).

There were even apple-focused festivals. My family would drive to the South Mountain Fairgrounds in neighboring Adams County for the Apple Harvest Festival, which attracted thousands of people each October. For an apple lover, this was high paradise time.

Another aspect of my childhood in York was being introduced to Greek culture, via new neighbors from Greece that began showing up when I was in middle school. My Greek friends introduced me to Greek food, including a strange, crumbly cheese I had never seen before…feta.

I instantly liked the somewhat smelly, tasty cheese. Years later, at a Greek restaurant in Pittsburgh, I had a salad of apples, nuts, and feta, dressed with lemon juice. To me, it was a perfect combination of two childhood favorites, Greek feta and good old-fashioned Pennsylvania apples.

I’ve tried to replicate this salad, and came up with a recipe that comes fairly close with a few adjustments. It makes a very nice side dish with a sandwich at lunch or with your favorite main dish at dinner. Be sure to use, of course, local apples. There are many available options at local farmers markets and orchards. For this recipe, Honeycrisp is a great option but any sweet or semi-sweet eating apple will do.