In Sonoma County, Pink Pearl apples come ripe in August. It’s a short season that ends first week of September.

Last weekend we drove up to Sonoma County, and stopped into Hale’s Apple Farm in Sebastopol.

Pink Pearl apples are a cultivated variety with pink skin and rosy flesh. It’s a very tart apple, perfect for cooking and baking.

We bought a whole box of “A-one” Pink Pearl apples and a bag of Gravenstein heritage apples too. Then we had lunch outdoors at the family-friendly Barlow District in downtown Sebastapol.

Back at home, we started cooking with Pink Pearl apples.

First up, we made applesauce which we put on fluffy pancakes for breakfast next morning.

Here’s the recipes.

Pink pearl applesauce

2 lb pink pearl apples
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Peel and core apples, then cut into 1 inch pieces.

Bring apples, water, sugar to a boil in a heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 – 25 minutes until the apples are tender.

Remove lid and simmer until liquid is evaporated, 5 – 10 minutes more.

Run cooked apples through a food mill (medium size holes).

Taste, add more sugar and cinnamon if desired.

Other option for pink applesauce, use red skinned apples such as McIntosh, Cortland, but don’t peel apples.

Tip: Freeze applesauce in ziploc bags to use later

Fluffy pancakes

Two dozen 4-inch pancakes

2 large eggs
5 tbsp butter
1 c milk
1 ¼ c flour
1 tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt

Beat the eggs until thoroughly blended.

Warm butter and milk until butter has melted. Allow to cool.

Stir butter mixture into the eggs and mix well.

Stir dry ingredients together. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir only until well moistened.

To cook, butter large saucepan, measure out scant quarter cup of batter, cook until browned on one side, flip over to finishing cooking.

We also made pink pearl ice cream, and tiny apple tarts (King Arthur Baking has a great recipe).

Rest of our Pink Pearl apples we made into applesauce, and popped in the freezer.

In fall and winter months, we can have pink applesauce on our pancakes and remember sunny days of summer.

Hale’s Apple Farm
1526 Gravenstein Hwy N
Sebastopol, CA

More fun things to do with kids in Sonoma County, and check out Travel for Kids Sonoma family hotels, perfect for a weekend.

 
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