Johnny Appleseed Day

Priscilla is helping to commemorate the March 18, 1845 death of John Chapman.  He died in Fort Wayne Indiana and in honor of Johnny Appleseed, Priscilla brewed a pot of Fort Wayne Blend Tea.  The Fort Wayne tea shop, Our Daily Brew, concocted the blend in memory of General Anthony Wayne.  This tea is a secret blend of eight different teas.  Why eight teas?  History states that General Wayne would often, as his own personal tradition, have dinner with seven of his officers.  Thus each officer attending and General Wayne are represented by a different type of tea in this blend. 

Fort Wayne Blend

When I asked which blends are used, I was told six black, one green and one white.  Hmm, do you suppose General Wayne invited Colonel Assam, Major Keemun, Captain Ceylon,  and Lieutenant Darjeeling for tea?

In honor of Johnny, dessert for dinner tonight will be apple crisp.  I have made this crisp since my early 4-H days.  I just cut, scoop and dump.  I use whatever fruit is in season.  These measurements are approximate:

Fruit Crisp

4 cups fresh or canned fruit - Apples, Peaches, Berries etc.

1 teaspoon cinnamon (depending on fruit)

sugar (none to a few tablespoons, depending on sweetness of fruit)

Topping

1 cup old fashioned oatmeal

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

mix the dry ingredients, then mix in softened butter

Bake at 375 until fruit is soft and topping is browned.  

Apple Crisp

The saying, "upper crust", derives from early America, when times were hard and cooking supplies scarce.  Apple pie was a favorite dish, but during tough times, cooks only made a bottom crust.  Affluent homes could afford both an upper and a lower crust, and they became known as the "upper crust."  
I suppose tonight's dessert makes us lower than the one crust households.

Hope your day is "Delicious"!

Sips and Smiles,
Teresa