4The ubiquitous apple: a mainstay of fruit bowls and bag lunches, and in Minnesota, a point of pride. Cultivators in the apple breeding program at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and the University of Minnesota have been dreaming up new varieties since the 1930s, most recently adding to their list of winter-hardy fruits the SweeTango and the Zestar. Snappy and sweet eaten out of hand, tender and flavorful when roasted or baked, apples bring plenty to the table.

There's no better guide to this apple abundance than Joan Donatelle, whose fondness for the fruit goes beyond the standard slices-and-brie or apple crisp. Astonishing Apples opens with imaginative dishes like Smoked Trout Tartlettes and Apple Bruschetta, followed by Cheddar Apple Cornbread and Apple Cabbage Slaw. Apples find their way to the center of the plate in Savory Apple Foccacia and Ginger Curry Apple Turkey Bake. Tempt your sweet tooth with Apple Almond Biscotti and Apple Panna Cotta, and explore modern twists on the usual suspects, from apple butter to applesauce to fresh cider. With this cookbook in your arsenal, eating "an apple a day" has never been easier--or more delicious.