Staring at a mountain of apples and pears...

[shootingstar]

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.

[Wahine]

I hear ya. It's full on harvest time here in the Gorge and I've been making applesauce and canning continuously (it seems like it anyway) for the last several weeks. But it so worth it in the middle of winter when you crack open that yummy can of goodness.

I do a lot of fruit leather and dried slices too.

[spokewench]

I love all apples; but Jonathan are the award winning pie apple in my family! YUMMY for pies. They don't seem to store real well so making apple sauce or pies is probably best.