Posts tagged “Apples”

Did you know that October is National Apple Month?! The humble apple is great for snacking — and can be used in so many recipes. Dishes can be sweet, savory, or anywhere in between. Crunchy, sweet, and tart, apples become nice and soft when cooked or baked with. And apples are known for being nutritious — They’re full of fiber, vitamins, plus carbohydrates and a low amount of sugar. Here in Washington, we’re all about apples! Many varieties of the state fruit grow in orchards far and wide. And as we settle into autumn and the harvest season for apples, it’s time to celebrate the season’s favorite fruit.

October is National Apple Month

National Apple Month fits perfectly into Washington’s harvest season! It’s a great time to try a variety of fresh apples and celebrate the fruit. Tacoma Boys offers a variety of apples and apple products, from Fisher Northwest Apple Cake Baking Mix, to Eden Organic Apple Butter Spread, Santa Cruz Organic Apple Sauce, and much more. This month, celebrate apples a few different ways:

1. Apple picking: Some local apple orchards offer apple picking to the public. Bring the family and experience picking ripe apples straight from the trees they grow on!
2. Cider making: Cider pressing makes apples into juice. Like apple picking, you can find some cider pressing events or spaces near you during the harvest season.
3. Taste test of apples: Grab a few different varieties of apples and slice them up. Try a taste test to compare the flavors and you may even find a new favorite!
4. Sweet apple recipes: Baking sweet recipes with apples is a go-to for many since they’re already so sweet.
5. Savory apple recipes: Get creative cooking with apples in savory dishes, like braised chicken or salads.

Local Apples at Tacoma Boys

It’s easy to come by local apples around here. In fact, it may be hard to find much else! The majority of the nation’s apples are grown in Washington. Several varieties of apple crops grow in orchards across the state — It’s common to find most of these for sale, but not all are the same. Some apples are more tart and crisp, like granny smith, while other varieties are known for being extra juicy and sweet, like the honeycrisp. Depending on how you want to eat or cook these local apples, you might prefer one over the other.

Different varieties of apples at Tacoma Boys include:

• Honeycrisp
• Cosmic crisp
• Red delicious
• Pink lady
• Gala
• Jazz
• Ginger gold

Apple Recipes to Try

Celebrate National Apple Month by trying out new apple recipes! Apples are quite versatile and can be used in many different cuisines and types of dishes. Apple recipes can be sweet, savory, or somewhere in between — Read on for a few examples of each. If you’re one to enjoy simply snacking on apples, try this tip: Squeeze some lemon juice over the sliced apples to prevent them from browning. And don’t forget that you can drink your apples, too! Try Ryan’s Honeycrisp Apple Cider or some hard apple cider. Tacoma Boys has a wide selection of hard apple cider, much of which is local to Washington and Oregon. 

Sweet Apple Recipes

Some of the simplest apple recipes can turn out to be the most delicious! One example of this is the granola-stuffed baked apple: Core an apple of your choice and place it in a baking dish. First, mix ¼ cup Made Good Crispy Light Granola with 2 tsp melted GloryBee Organic Coconut Oil and 1 tbsp Wholesome Organic Dark Brown Sugar. Then, press the granola mixture into the center of the apple. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-45 minutes or until the apple is soft and the granola is crisp. Enjoy warm with Umpqua Vanilla Ice Cream! 

Some other examples of sweet apple recipes include:

• Apple Cinnamon Bread by Plated Cravings.
• Gluten Free Apple Pancakes by Something Nutritious.
• Apple Crisp Parfait by Joyful Healthy Eats.
• Tacoma Boys’ own Apple Rhubarb Crisp.

Savory Apple Recipes 

Savory apple recipes are fun to experiment with — You can sometimes use apples in dishes as you would vegetables for added flavor and moisture. For one, try an apple brie prosciutto panini: Build the sandwich like you would a grilled cheese, with a layer of sliced Marin French Traditional Brie Cheese, Boar’s Head Prosciutto, and sliced honeycrisp apples surrounded by buttered Seattle Sourdough Bread. Then, grill the panini in a skillet on medium heat, flipping once, until the brie is melted and the bread is crispy. 

A few more examples of savory apple recipes include:

• Waldorf Chicken Salad by A Mindful Mom
• Apple Cheddar Quiche by Hip Foodie Mom.
• Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder by The Modern Proper.
• Curried Butternut Squash and Apple Soup by Farm Flavor.

Stop by Tacoma Boys for a variety of different apples and apple products to celebrate National Apple Month! And to stay up to date on insider deals and specials, sign up for Tacoma Boys’ text list. Just text (253) 246-1661 to tell Paul you want to be on the list!

Fall is finally upon us! For some, that means bring on the pumpkin spice lattes and cardigans. For others, it means a slow, sad goodbye to the last rays of summer. Whatever camp you’re in, we hope you can enjoy–or at least be consoled by–the advent of comfort food season. Yes, that’s right! With the gradual decline in temperature from now through February comes the joys of filling our bellies with a warm bowl of hearty chili, your mom’s famous chicken pot pie, or a roast you’ve been crock-potting all day.  But wait! Fresh fruits and veggies are still popping up out of the not-yet-frozen soil and falling off still-green trees! And with that, we have the best of both worlds. We would argue it’s fall’s favorite fruit: the apple. 

And if you, like us, are a fan of the apple…well you’ve come to the right place. Both figuratively and literally. If you’re in Washington (as we suspect you are), you’re in the top apple-producing state in America. I don’t know if you know this, but we’re kind of a big deal. In fact, 58% of America’s apples are grown right here in your own backyard. You read it right. That’s more than half. With all these apples growing great in your own state, there’s no reason to ever eat an apple from elsewhere. Lucky for you, Tacoma Boys and H&L Produce have the skinny on all the best locally grown apples and a few suggestions on how to have them. 

First, let’s talk types. If you hear “Granny Smith”, “Jazz”, and “Lady Alice” and assume we’re talking about your neighbor’s Tuesday morning bridge club, you’re not alone. But alas, they’re actually the names of a few of the 7,500 varieties of apple in the world. It’s a lot of information to sift through. So here’s a quick guide to some of the varieties you’ll see on our shelves. 

Our Favorite Fruit in Many Forms

Honeycrisp

You’ll know it’s a Honeycrisp as soon as you bite into it. Crisp and juicy, we love Honeycrisp for its distinctly sweet-but-not-too-sweet flavor. Perfect to eat all by itself or chopped up on a salad. Swing by Tacoma Boys or H&L Produce this week and get a great deal on a 20lb bag! With an apple so versatile, you’ll be glad you did!

Gravenstein

Graventstein is one of the oldest varieties of apples. It harkens from Europe, although the specifics are unclear. This variety is known for its exquisite flavor. It’s one of our favorite fruit because it makes great applesauce and desserts. Gravenstein is considered a high quality apple variety and has been celebrated in festivals and fairs all its own. 

Fuji

These hail originally from Japan (named after Mt. Fuji). Their fantastic crisp and sweet flavor have made them a favorite go-to snack for years. You’ll recognize them by their mostly red coloring with just a touch of yellow and/or green.

Golden Delicious

This mild little cutie is a delightful yellow-to-green color with freckles for good measure. Just a little bit sweet and not too tart, it’s easy on the taste buds and doesn’t like to make waves. Great for snacking! Or mix them with apples that have a little more tartness and bake into a pie. 

A Few Ways to “Fall” in Love with Apples

Apple Walnut Salad

Start with a spring mix, preferably one with spinach and arugula. Then, add cranberries, walnuts, and chopped apples (honeycrisp is a great choice for this salad). Finally, toss in the dressing of your choice. We recommend Brianna’s Homestyle Blush Wine Vinaigrette from our dressing aisle. Serve as a side salad with pork chops, or add chopped chicken to it to make an entree salad!

Ooey Gooey Caramel Apples

Is it really fall if you don’t sink your teeth and get them stuck in the stickiest, messiest treat around? You may think of it as “hard to eat,” but we think of it as a rite of passage. This recipe from Just a Taste calls for Granny Smith apples and strikes the right balance of easy and fun. Swing by our candy aisle for topping ideas (Hint: Seattle Chocolate’s “Mexican Hot Chocolate” bar, chopped into tiny pieces so it sticks). Go ahead, take a bite out of fall. 

Classic Apple Pie

Are you so excited to spend hours peeling, coring, and chopping apples? More power to you! But for the rest of us who love America’s favorite dessert but aren’t down for the prep time, Tacoma Boys and H&L Produce has just the thing. Swing by our freezer aisle, and pick up a bag of frozen Granny Smith Apples from Remington Farms. Grown right here in Washington and frozen at peak ripeness, these delicious apples are already skinless, seedless, cut and waiting to be thrown in a pie. Nobody will guess you didn’t do it yourself and we won’t tell! Try this recipe from Taste of Home and wow your friends and family with your domestic prowess. 

One Tree Cinnamon Caramel Hard Cider

Ok, so it’s a bit of a jaunt from the produce aisle. But One Tree cidery uses Washington apples to produce a cider that’s absolutely perfect for fall. Seriously, it’s like apple pie in a bottle. Looking for more fall flavors? While you’re perusing our cider aisle, check out Whitewood’s “Gravenstein” Cider and 2 Towns Ciderhouse’s “Easy Squeezy.”

Find All Your Favorite Fruit at Tacoma Boys!

If you’re a local looking for Washington’s favorite fruit done right, look no further than Tacoma Boys and H&L Produce. We’re lovers of all things local, especially our local farmers and apple producers. So swing by today and buy the best apples Washington has to offer.

If you’ve ever asked yourself: “How can I save money at a produce stand near me?” you are in luck. Tacoma Boys and H&L Produce is more than you could hope for.

Breaking away from processed and packed foods and switching to local fruits and vegetables is a healthy choice. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t have to cost more to make this change. There are plenty of ways to invest in fresh, local produce at low prices.

Tacoma Boys and H&L Produce offer the freshness and quality of a produce stand with the convenience of a 24-hour store.

We make it as easy as possible for you and your family to eat healthy. Follow these tips and you will never have to ask “How can I save money at a produce stand near me?” again!

Think “Local Produce Stand Near Me” Instead of Big Chains

There are local produce stands and local farmer’s markets all around you. During most of the year, that is. Living in the Pacific Northwest means that we have to do our shopping indoors once Fall and Winter roll around.

Every year, local stands become more and more popular. Many people have been making the switch to shopping locally for their produce. Shopping for local produce is a great way to find some amazing deals that you would never be able to find in a larger chain grocery store.

Buy According to the Season

When you purchase produce that’s in-season, you will find that it’s more affordable. You’ll also find that it often tastes better; because that particular item was picked and sold at its peak. An added health benefit to eating fruit in season is that it often contains more nutrients than the same product in the off-season.

Expect to see deals and sales on in-season produce because of the quantity and quality produced.

Freeze / Preserve What You Don’t Eat!

One sure way to save some money is to preserve your produce right after purchasing it. This is a great way to take advantage of in-season pricing! Buy what you can afford, eat what you need, then preserve or freeze the rest.

Freezing Produce

There are different methods that work well for each type of fruit or vegetable.

Some of the best fruits and vegetables for freezing are:

• Kale
• Corn
• Berries
• Peaches
• Avocados

Think of this process as an investment. Plan ahead and bulk up/preserve what produce you use most.

Preserves

You may love some delicious jam on your toast in the morning, or pickles with your sandwich for lunch. At one time these tasty treats were a necessity! Long before refrigeration was accessible to the general public, cultures across the globe developed ways to preserve their produce, so that they would have nutritious, delicious food items through the winter.

There are many ways to pickle or preserve your fruits and vegetables. If you you’d like to experiment with the final product without going through the process, try some of our specialty canned items! We have an amazing selection that you will not find in any other store.

Produce Doesn’t Have to be Perfect

Remember, you don’t need perfect produce. Local farms and stands often mark down the produce that isn’t the prettiest. Some people might call this “choosing seconds,” but as long as it tastes good, a few bruises or discoloration still works for canning, eating raw or other recipes.

Truthfully, at Tacoma Boys and H&L Produce we are sticklers for quality. You may not find ugly produce at our markets but you’ll still find the great deals. How is that possible?

We keep inventory rotating so the produce you take home is fresh and delicious every time. When specific fruits, vegetables, and even meats are in-season we put them on our Weekly Specials Flyer at a great price to make sure we sell out.

Remember this next time you see a deal on your favorite produce; they tend to go fast!

Choose a Different Lifestyle

So the next time you ask yourself, “Where’s a produce stand near me,” know that your local Tacoma Boys and H&L Produce are a great 24 hour option!

Hopefully, we can be a fresh, local resource for you. Our team gives the best customer service and we love to offer free samples!

Looking for ideas on what to cook with your newfound fresh produce? Check out these recipes for more tips on how to enjoy our produce and meats.