The Weekly Whisk 🥣 10/24/25
- Jen Vondenbrink
- Oct 24
- 5 min read
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My Cooking Inspiration
My Mom’s birthday is tomorrow. Unfortunately, she is no longer with us, but she and my grandmothers were the inspiration for the love of cooking my sister and I have.
Mom wasn’t a traditional cook. We didn’t have spaghetti on Wednesdays. You never knew what was going to be for dinner. It could be something simple like her meatloaf, the recipe undoubtedly pulled from a woman’s magazine, trying a crazy vegetable like artichokes, or pulling out an old, worn-out recipe from my grandmother for sauerbraten, which filled the house with smells from the past.
I can remember issues of Gourmet Magazine strewn about the kitchen as she prepared for their regular Gourmet Dinner Club in the 70s, in which each couple had to come with a new recipe based on a theme. She would test sauces and dishes beforehand…some of them making the cut and others definitely not.
Mostly, however, my mother cooked from her heart. On a daily basis, she didn’t use recipes but rather made it up as she went along. On the good side, we had tasty dishes that no one else had. On the bad side, she rarely wrote these recipes down, which now leaves my sister and me craving some of our favorites without being able to replicate them.
Writing this, I can see where the inspiration came from for Appetite for Life. So many people complain about making dinner every night, and I know that it isn’t fun or easy day after day. But my style is to experiment, like my Mom, and with Appetite for Life, I can do that, so you can have some creative ideas to choose from rather than having to figure everything out.
I use Appetite for Life as my personal cookbook, going to it regularly to make pizza, bolognese sauce, or pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. I also have a tattered notebook that never leaves the counter. I write down new recipes I’m making, take copious notes of “the little bit more garlic” I add so I can capture it. Some people collect coins or stamps. I love to collect recipes and memories.
What inspires your cooking today? Let me know.
Ask Jen
Q: What are the best apples to make apple pie?
A: Of course, everyone has their favorites, and if you are new to making apple pie, it is time to find your combination. I say combination because I’ve found that mixing two different types of apples gives you the perfect filling (at least in my eyes).
First, look for a firm apple. This is what is going to give your pie texture. Firm apples include Granny Smith, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, or my go-to Cortland.
Then find a sweet, softer apple. This is the type of apple that you would make applesauce with, and that’s exactly what happens in the pie. They add a note of natural sweetness along with filler for the firmer apples. Think of them as filling in the gaps of the other apples.
Combining both types of apples gives your pie a depth of flavor and texture. I like a 50-50 mix. Too many firm apples, and your pie will be just layers of apples. If that’s what you like, then go for it. Too many soft apples, and your filling will not have chunks of apples in it.
I also cook my pies with raw apples. Some recipes call for cooking the filling before adding it to the pie crust, but by using this combination of apples, you can slice & spice them, then put them right in your pie crust and bake them all together.
My last tip is to buy your apples well in advance of needing them for your pie if you can. By leaving them in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, if possible, they dry out a bit. You don’t notice it, but it helps create a pie filling without a lot of moisture, and that stays together.
This Week's Favorites
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My favorite places to get apples - Honey Pot Hill Orchard in Stow, MA (my all-time favorite), Wards Berry Farm in Sharon, MA (my weekly farmstand), C.N. Smith Farm in Bridgewater, MA, Crow Farm in Sandwich, MA (limited season, but lots of fun on the Cape).
Pyrex Pie Dishes - These are my go-tos for my pies. They aren’t fancy, but they work every time, plus you can use them for other things outside of pie season.
Pyrex Mixing Bowls - Again, simple and basic. Great for making the pie crust and mixing up a big batch of apples for the filling of the pie.
Paring Knife - I like to peel my apples with a paring knife, but if you prefer a peeler, I recommend this one.
Recipe Ideas for the Week
Sticking with the apple theme, here are some ideas:
Apple Hand Pies - perfect for apple pie deliciousness on the go.
Apple Cranberry Crisp - I love this combination in a crisp. The tartness of the seasonal cranberries really makes the crisp pop. And if you wanted to know the difference between Crisps, Cobblers, and Crumbles, I broke them all down here.
Applesauce Cake - Easy to make, and the cream cheese frosting makes it.
From my 3-2-1 Menu Plan, something savory using apples - Pork, Apple, and Sweet Potato Sheetpan Dinner.
If you aren't a member of the Appetite for Life Cooking Club and exclusive Facebook Group, Join Us Today!
Jen Vondenbrink is a cooking, food, and lifestyle blogger at Appetite for Life since 2020. Jen Vondenbrink has over 35 years of professional cooking experience apprenticing with local pastry and artisan bread makers, working for culinary innovator J. Bildner & Sons in Boston, as well as Starbucks Coffee Company in Seattle, Washington. Jen Vondenbrink has published cookbooks such as Thanksgiving Recipes From Home, Fun Summer Recipes, and the Cozy Soup Cookbook. Jen Vondenbrink also hosts the Appetite for Life Cooking Club, where members get insights to enhance their cooking. Jen Vondenbrink offers cooking classes and cooking coaching, working one-on-one with people to strengthen their cooking knowledge and skills.
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