Apple pies, in my opinion, are the essence of fall—warm, aromatic creations of buttery pastry full of the season’s finest fruit. A slice served with a hot cup of coffee, by an open fire on a crisp, cool night, is a perfect snapshot of the season.
I began making apple pies as a young adult living in the Shenandoah Valley, where the leaves glow with color every fall and the many apple orchards burst with fruit. I loved the hands-on process of taking a pie from concept to completion, starting with picking the apples myself. I enjoyed the slow, intentional steps of peeling and slicing the apples, of rolling out the dough and shaping the crust; and the gradual aroma that would take over my kitchen as they baked together in the oven.
