How about drying some apple slices..? I know, lots of work still.

Seriously, you might consider a little casual fall party with some friends,....with a central apple theme. I'm sure they'll appreciate trying different varieties of apple and pear. You seem knowledgeable!

I come from apple butter area of Ontario...apple cooked, pureed into a thick sauce and no sugar..that's the real version. Can be preserved like jam and nice topping on bread, crackers.

As you know, an apple or pear cookeded/pureed into a batch of butternut squash soup is lovely.

I'm pretty boring...Golden Delicious apples or Ambrosia. I'm more of a pear eater --bosc, Bartlett, Anjou, Japanese/Chinese (I'm sure there's a better name for latter.) My mother used to buy pears with me in mind because of my preference.