by Terrance Mc Arthur

It’s Autumn. November, to be specific. The green leaves of the Valley are finally turning to the colors of Fall. The Great Food search explored pumpkin treats last November, so this month’s travels feature apples. And so, welcome to . . . The Apples of Fall.

Cristal Bakery & Restaurant—704 O St., Sanger—Sanger residents have known for decades that Cristal is a place to find great Mexican pastries and delicious dishes. Last year, I discovered the Pumpkin Empanadas at Cristal, so I knew to go there for a Close Encounter of the Apple Kind. The Apple Empanadas were plump, filled with spicy apple goodness. These triangles of goodness, lightly warmed, with a mug of hot chocolate (the Mexican kind), will bring joy to a chilly evening.

Eddie’s Bakery Cafe—7089 N. Cedar Ave., Fresno—Eddie’s has been feeding Fresnans since 1939. There are lots of delectable sweets to buy in the glass cases, but when I saw this Apple Pie . . . I had to have it! That flaky upper crust, pierced and stretched out to make an intricate pattern above all those apples, was amazing! Then, to eat . . . the apples had a firmness just this side of crunchy. It’s worth every bite.

The Frosted Cakery—1292 N. West Ave., Fresno—I had been to the Tower District’s Frosted Cakery, but hadn’t known of the one at Bullard and West until recently, and hadn’t gone in until this month. What a world of sugary possibilities! My wife knew she wanted a cannoli (which she ate before I could take a picture of it), but I was looking for apples . . . and I found them! Cupcakes! Turnovers! A Caramel Applespice Cupcake, topped with a caramelized chunk of apple on a cloud of buttercream frosting, and hiding caramel in its apple-flavored core, and another cupcake I can’t remember to name but it had a lightly-blowtorched topping. Then there was the Apple Turnover, packed with apples and drizzled with caramel. Three days later, sections of these tastebud-teasing goodies are still in my refrigerator, because they were too good to eat all at once!

Tahoe Joe’s Famous Steakhouse—7006 N. Cedar Ave., Fresno—I often eat here, because I have a number of doctors’ offices within a mile of it (You know you’re getting older when you stop arranging medical appointments around your schedule and start arranging your schedule around your medical appointments!). The steaks, burgers, and other dishes are great, but splurging on a dessert is a special treat after a long wait after a long wait. Apple Pie? Certainly, if they’re out of Cheesecake. A sugary crust, an army of apples, and a hearty “HI-Yo, Silver!” (Sorry. It’s late, and I got carried away)

The Verdict—Where does the non-existent trophy of the month go? The last place we went for this culinary cavalcade—The Frosted Cakery! Those cupcakes and the Appl Turnover knocked Eddie’s off the top spot at the last minute, but go try something at all of these destinations, and you’ll be glad you did.
Try something new!

And

Happy Eating!

Check out more food articles and more of Terrance’s Great Food Search column in our Food Fun section. And check out a KRL staff profile this week on Terrance!

Terrance V. Mc Arthur worked for the Fresno County Public Library for three decades. He is retired, but not retiring. A storyteller, puppeteer, writer, actor, magician, basketmaker, and all-around interesting person, his goal is to make life more unusual for everyone he meets.