Editor Natalie Ermann Russell’s favorite thing to make is apple pie with local apples. It’s especially flavorful with a mix of sweet and tart varieties.

For the crust :
21⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold
1⁄2 cup ice water

For the filling :
2 1⁄2 pounds of a variety of local apples (6 to 8 medium)
1⁄4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp. nutmeg
1⁄2 tsp. ground ginger
1⁄4 tsp. allspice
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1⁄4 tsp. salt
Juice of 1⁄2 lemon
2 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter,
cut into small pieces

1. Make the dough: In a medium bowl, mix flour and salt using a pastry cutter. Cut the cold butter into 1⁄4 inch pieces and work into dough with pastry cutter, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the ice water, a Tbsp. at a time, and stir gently until dough comes together. Turn out dough onto floured surface. Cut in half; wrap each in plastic wrap and flatten into disk. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

2. When ready to assemble pie, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll out one disk of dough on lightly floured surface to 1⁄4 inch thick and 12 inches in diameter. Lay it into 9-inch pie plate, leaving rough edges. Refrigerate.

3. Core the apples and peel partially (a little skin adds more flavor; too much alters the texture). Slice apples into eighths, and then equal-size smaller pieces. In a large bowl, mix sugars, spices, flour, and salt, and add apples; add lemon juice and stir well. Let sit at least 15 minutes.

4. Roll out second piece of dough to 1⁄4 inch thick and 11 inches in diameter. Pile the apple mixture into the bottom crust, and top with butter pieces.

5. Brush water around the edge of the bottom dough. Cover with top piece of dough, and press firmly to adhere. Trim away all but 1⁄2 inch of overhang, and crimp into pretty design. Cut vent slits in top of pie in pinwheel design. Cover dough edges with foil.

6. Place pie on a baking sheet (to catch drippings), and bake on bottom rack for 20 minutes. Move the pie to the center shelf and reduce the temperature to 375 degrees. Bake for 25 more minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 20
more minutes, until the juice is bubbling and the crust is perfectly browned. Cool for a few hours before serving.

From Ashley Hightower, instructor at the Seasonal Cook in Charlottesville and chef-owner of the catering business, Dinner at Home.

Serves 6

6 cooking apples, peeled, cored, and cut
into eighths
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup hazelnuts, blanched and coarsely chopped
Pinch of salt
Vanilla ice cream

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and butter a 9-inch pie plate.

2. In a large bowl, toss apples with cinnamon and granulated sugar. Pile into pie plate.

3. To make streusel: In a medium bowl, mix butter and flour with fingertips until it resembles cornmeal. Mix in brown sugar until dough begins to clump then add hazelnuts.

4. Pour streusel topping over apples and gently press to form a crust.

5. Bake for 45 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve with your favorite vanilla ice cream.

This slaw adds a twist when served with old standbys like burgers or fried chicken.

Serves 4

2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1⁄4 cup mayonnaise
2 stalks celery, cut into matchsticks
4 local apples, different varieties with skin, cored
and cut into matchsticks
1⁄4 cup golden raisins, optional

In a medium bowl, mix ginger and vinegar into mayonnaise. Add celery, apples, and raisins and gently stir to coat. Let sit for at least 15 minutes so flavors develop (if longer, put into refrigerator).