The Nashville Food Project’s Blog
Our Apple Guy
Earlier this year, a kind and generous member of our community reached out to us with an unexpected, creative idea. Joe Hodgson had learned about the work we are doing to cultivate community and alleviate hunger in Nashville and wanted to get involved.
Earlier this year, a kind and generous member of our community reached out to us with an unexpected, creative idea. Joe Hodgson had learned about the work we are doing to cultivate community and alleviate hunger in Nashville and wanted to get involved.
Joe has a love for apples, particularly heirloom varieties of apples that are hard to find in grocery stores. As he nears retirement and prepares to turn over his landscape architecture business, Joe says he wants to put his love for apples and fresh food into action! He's in the process of purchasing land near the Cumberland Plateau, where he plans to plant an orchard and donate the apples to The Nashville Food Project.
But in the years leading up to the production of this orchard vision, Joe has made a commitment to visiting a local family orchard on the plateau and buying apples that he then donates to our kitchens, landing him the affectionate title of “our Apple Guy” around here. Joe’s generosity is extraordinary! Fresh fruit is one of the most expensive things that we regularly buy for our meals, and it is rarely donated. In both of our kitchens, we try to include fresh fruit with most of our meals.
Joe’s creative donation has brought more innovation into our kitchens! With just one recent donation, our volunteers have already made these delicious, nutritious treats:
Dehydrated Apple Slices
Apple Butter
Apple Sauce
Apple Pie
We send a big thanks to Joe, our Apple Guy, for the incredible, creative way he is supporting the work of The Nashville Food Project!
Kale Salad with Apple
This bright, delicious salad is the perfect addition to any meal.
8 -10 bunches of Red Russian or Lacinato kale washed, trimmed of tough stem and thinly sliced into ribbons (chiffonade)
3 - 4 apples (your favorite variety, cored, peeled and diced - we like Granny Smith or another tart apple)1 bunch celery, diced
Prepare dressing:
1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup of honey
1/2 cup of olive oil
7 cloves of garlic smashed and finely diced
1 tsp salt and pepper
Whisk the ingredients for the dressingThirty minutes before serving, add apples and celery to sliced kale. Pour dressing over kale mixture and gently "massage" dressing into the leaves for 5-7 minutes until kale is gently wilted. Enjoy!
Apple Spice Cake
The generous apple donations we receive are often turned into applesauce in this delicious spice cake. Lower cost and less waste!
Serves 50 – 60
10 cups all purpose flour 8 tsp baking soda 1 tbl salt 4 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp cardamon (or nutmeg) 2 cups oil 3 cups brown sugar 3 cups white sugar 1 cup honey 4 tsp vanilla 8 eggs 8 cups applesauce (chunky home made is best!)
Spray nonstick spray into three 9 X 12 size pans. Mix oil and sugar well. Add eggs, honey and vanilla and mix well. Mix with dry ingredients alternating with applesauce until all is incorporated. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. When cool, dust with powdered sugar.