autumn treats: caramel apples and pears

Autumn is our favorite season of the year. The weather is beautiful, with a slight chill in the air-- perfect for sweaters and sweatshirts! In some areas, the leaves change to beautiful colors in a palette of reds, yellows, and oranges (our favorite!)... and of course, there's fall foods: apples, pears, pumpkin...

We love mulling cider. We love apple and pear desserts. And most of all, we love caramel apples and pears. They are somewhat of an annual tradition, that began a decade ago when we were based in New York. Over the years we have embraced this tradition in different ways, sometimes picking the apples ourselves, sometimes scouring roadside fruit stands for just the perfect pears. And then we lovingly enrobe them in butter caramel, dip them in toasted nuts, and drizzle them with the finest bittersweet and white chocolates. Decorative variations are also available with various colors, sprinkles, and candy or nut toppings.

This year, our apples were paired with toasted slivered and roasted almonds, and the pears received an added crunch from toasted and salted cashews. Finished with a rustic autumn-colored ribbon and a twig "handle," these treats were the perfect autumn gifts for our friends, clients, and colleagues. Some pictures of the unwrapped treats are presented below. Enjoy... and don't forget: orenji catering is always available to provide homemade gifts and treats for those special individuals in your life!