Summer apples are really yummy. I just grafted a number of the Summer apples listed in the previous posts above, i can't wait for fruit. This year my William's pride is fruiting for the first time, I await with great anticipation. Summer apples are a big deal here in Santa Cruz county given that you have to go all the way to Anchorage, Alaska to find Summers as cool as ours. As you can imagine, we get some pretty high quality Summer apples thanks to the cool temps. Viking: Top of the list, flavor is a cross in between lychee and rose, totally yummy, ripens late July just before Gravenstein and has a 3 week window for us here, and will keep under conventional cooling storage for about 3 weeks if picked early. Red June: good but only because there's almost nothing around at that time of the year, ripens before Viking, early to mid July, decent flavor, goes mealy in the blink of an eye. Atlanta: this one is yummy, but doesn't keep well. Ready in late July. Pink pearl: yummy, pink fleshed apple, slightly tart but very aromatic, makes strawberry flavored apple juice. It comes in right around with Gravensteins, keeps very well, at least 6 weeks ripening in our climate. Yellow transparent: early July, excellent if you don't mind waiting next to the tree for the 3 hour window when it's perfect. Picked too early makes it too sour, picked too late makes it mealy. There are far superior selections of this type of apple that have been made in Europe. Transparente de Croncels comes to mind, it's a much larger apple and it's supposed to be one of the best. Pristine: Oh, one of my favorites, delicious, firm, crisp, ripens mid July, and keeps really well, up to 6 weeks. It becomes real fragrant and smells up the entire house. Gravenstein: One of the best all around apples, an apple just doesn't get any better than this one when it's grown in the cooler parts of the Central Coast of California. Ours keep very well because of the lack of Summer heat, up to 3 months in cold storage. They are so fragrant and delicious, everything anyone could want in an apple. Our Summer apples will be late this year - 58F outside as of 3PM and it's almost the 4th of July here. Burr, I wouldn't mind a little Summer feeling.

Here are a few to get you started: Poor Man's Salami 2-21/2 lb ground venison 1 cup water 1/2 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, mustard seed 2 tbls liquid smoke 3 tbls Morton's Tender Quick salt Combine all the ingredients and form the mixture into two 8-inch long rolls. Wrap in foil with the shiny side next to the meat. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Pierce the foil in several places on the bottom side of the roll with a toothpick. Place the rolls on the oven rack over a pan containing 1/2 cup water. Bake at 225 derees for about 2 hours. Venison Breakfast Sausage 4 lbs ground venison 2 lbs ground pork 1/2 Burgundy 1tsp garlic powder 2 onions, liquified in blender 4 tsp basic smoke salt* 4 tsp marjoram 3 tbls mustard with horseradish 1 tbls pepper 2 tsp sage 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp thyme 1 tsp ground nutmeg 3/4 tsp rosemary Combine all ingredients well. Form into patties and fry. Or stuff casings to make breakfast links. *Basic Smoke Salt This is a seasoned salt mixture I devised years ago for smoking meats. It's a great general seasoning salt as well: 1 package table salt (1 lb 10 oz) 1 tbls onion salt 2 tbls celery salt 1 tbls garlic salt 2 tbls paprika 4 tbls white pepper 2 tbls dill salt 4 tbls white sugar Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container (canning jars work great) Spicy Game Sausages 1 3/4 lb venison or other game meat, ground 1 3/4 lb pork, ground 1 tbls smoke salt 2 tsp chili powder 2 tsp black pepper 5 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tsp rubbed sage 1/4 tsp ground allspeice variations: 1 tbls curry powder 2 tsp cumin seed Combine all ingredients. Stuff into casings or make into chubs. For people with dietary restrictions forbidding pork, this next is particularly suitible. Scott Darrohn's venison sausage 4 lb venison,ground 1 lb beef fat 2 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 1/8 tsp cayenne 2 tsp ground sage 1/2 tsp ground allspice Combine venison, beef fat, and seasonings and pass through meat grinder. With hands, shape; meat into 4-ounce patties. The sausage can be prepared any way you like it, or frozen for later use. This next is reminescent of Boudin sausages, but actually has a totally different flavor: Venison & Potato Sausage 10 lbs ground lean venison 10 tsp salt 2 tsp pepper 10 lbs ground raw potato 3 lb ground raw onion Sausage casings Grind meat, potatoes and onions separately first, then mix all together with salt & pepper and put through meat grinder a second time. Fill sausage casings by hand or with a sausage stuffer attachment on your meat grinder. Tie off or twist sausage into individual links or leave whole. Do not pack casings too tightly or they will burst when cooked. Wrap in meal sized packages and freeze. To serve, punch a few holes in the casing to release pressure as the sausage expands while cooking. Put frozen sausage in boiling water and let simmer for 45 minutes. If preferred you can add up to 3 lbs ground pork to the mixture before stuffing the casings. BTW, if all you have is ground meat, that's fine. But if you're starting with whole cuts, it's best to spread the herbs and spices on the meat before grinding. Then double grind the meat. This assures that the herbs and spices are evenly distributed throughout.

Top Secret Recipes version of Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sausage Before he became America's sausage king, Jimmy Dean was known for crooning the country hit "Big Bad John." ...... This clone recipe recreates three varieties of the famous roll sausage that you form into patties and cook in a skillet. Use ground pork found at the supermarket (make it lean pork, if you like), or grind some up yourself if you have a meat grinder laying around for some good old-fashioned fun. Sage 16 ounces ground pork 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/4 teaspoon coriander 1/4 teaspoon MSG (such as Accent flavor enhancer) Hot 16 ounces ground pork 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/4 teaspoon coriander 1/4 teaspoon MSG (such as Accent) Maple 16 ounces ground pork 3 tablespoons maple flavored syrup 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon MSG (such as Accent) 1/4 teaspoon coriander Combine all ingredients for the flavor of your choice in a medium bowl. Form the sausage into patties and cook in a skillet over medium heat until brown. Makes 1 pound of sausage.

If you'll have a cooler or access to a refrigerator, these are good: ROQUEFORT GRAPES (makes 50) 1 lb large, seedless red grapes 10 oz pecans 4 TBL crumbled Roquefort cheese 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened 2 TBL heavy cream Wash the grapes & pat dry. Crush the pecans on a platter or sheet of waxed paper. Combine the Roquefort, cream cheese & cream in a bowl & mix well. Roll the grapes in the cheese mixture & then in the pecans, coating well. Chill, covered, until serving time.~~ First Impressions BRIE CRISPS 4 oz Brie, rind removed, at room temperature 1 stick butter at room temperature 2/3 cup flour 2 generous dashed cayenne, or to taste 1/8 tsp salt Paprika Combine the cheese & butter in a processor & mix until creamy. Add the flour, cayenne & salt & blend until the dough almost forms a ball in the processor. Shape into a 2" cylinder & wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Slice the dough into 1/4" rounds, place 2" apart on a cookie sheet & bake in a preheated 400° oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are brown. Cool on a rack. Sprinkle w/paprika.~~ Beyond Parsley CASHEW WAFERS (about 75) 1 lb extra sharp Cheddar, shredded 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 tsp salt 3/4 tsp cayenne 1 cup sifted flour 2 cups dry roasted cashews, finely chopped Preheat oven to 325°. Bring cheese to room temperature & beat until smooth. Beat in butter, 1 TBL at a time. Add salt & cayenne. Stir in flour, 2 TBL at a time. Add nuts & form a ball. Chill dough & form into small balls. Place on lightly greased cookies sheets, spaced 1" apart. Flatten with fork tines dipped in flour. Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool & store in an airtight container until ready to serve.~~ You can all different things to jazz up this hummus recipe & serve it with rice crackers or pita wedges: HUMMUS (about 3 cups) 2 cups cooked or canned chick-peas, drained 2/3 cup tahini (sesame paste) 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice 2 garlic cloves, peeled Salt & pepper to taste 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions Parsley leaves (Italian) Place the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt & pepepr in a food processor & blend until smooth. Sitr in the green onions. Pile into a small bowl & garnish with the parsley leaves. Serve with pita bread or rice crackers. You can add minced red bell pepper to this also.~~