Apple harvest season and National Apple Month (September to November) offers chefs and operators an opportunity to highlight apples, a nostalgic American comfort food. Established, fruit-grower-owned cooperative Knouse Foods highlights how foodservice professionals can appeal to customers’ growing desires for more seasonal menu offerings with an assortment of recipe ideas for all dayparts.

Knouse Foods’ ready-to-use Lucky Leafand Musselman’s products provide a simple and cost-effective way to debut fall menus that feature flavorful and comforting apple dishes during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Also, adding specialty beverage options for adults and kids can help boost check averages. Appeal to a variety of diners by featuring these classics:

• Breakfast/Brunch: Apple Butter Coffee Cake—this cake includes dark, rich apple butter, and raisins.
• Appetizer: Apple, Chicken & Wild Rice Salad—a hearty seasonal salad featuring wild rice, apple slices, chicken, celery, and water chestnuts blended with a spicy citrus dressing.
• Lunch/Dinner: Savory Chicken and Apple Pot Pie—this pot pie is enhanced with chunks of apples for a bit of sweetness.
• Dessert: Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie—pumpkin and apple butter are combined to create a smooth custard that’s covered with crunchy streusel topping.
• Kid’s Specialty Drink: Apple Cider Punch—a bold, refreshing mixture of allspice, apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, lemonade, nutmeg, and orange juice.
• Adult Specialty Drink: Cinnamon Toast—fun and festive, this drink combines apple cider and spiced rum.

“Fall is the most important time of year as it kicks off harvest for our growers and National Apple Month,” says Todd Michael, director of foodservice sales for Knouse Foods. “It’s also when diners return to their favorite comfort foods. Developing menus that feature classic dishes is essential to capturing customers during this special time of year, and Knouse Foods’ apple products and recipes offer an easy way to highlight the traditional meals that people love.”