The Folwer’s Mill has operated in Chardon, Ohio, for 176 years, and a few weeks ago I finally got there. We were on our annual pilgrimage to Patterson Fruit Farm, and I decided to take a small detour to Fowler’s Mill.
As you would expect, the mill store carries a variety of fresh grains, processed in the mill’s stone grinders. But what Fowler’s Mill is known for is its baking mixes, including pancake, muffin, cookie, apple cake, apple crisp, shortcake, and cobbler mixes. So, in addition to bread, cake, and oat flours, I had to try a few baking mixes. Since we had just been to Patterson’s, where we loaded up on fresh apples, I chose Apple Crumb Pie Mix and Rustic Apple Tart Mix.
I had never made a rustic tart before, so I decided to try that baking mix first. A rustic tart is similar to other tarts or pies in that it consists of a crust and some kind of fruit filling. What distinguishes it from other recipes is that the dough, rather than being pressed into a pie or tart pan, is folded partway around the filling.
After making the dough,which consisted of the mix, butter, and cold water, I cut up the apples and mixed them with sugar and cinnamon.
I rolled out the crust, draped it over a ceramic pie plate that I had also purchased at Fowler’s, and added the apple filling. Then I folded the edges of the crust over the filling, leaving the center uncovered. I brushed the crust with egg wash and sprinkled it with finishing sugar.
It baked up golden and gooey, and smelled delicious.
I really liked the rustic look of the tart and the way the apples had begun to caramelize.
This is a wonderfully homey dish that I would happily serve at the end of a kitchen supper. Not at all pretentious, perfectly comforting, and delicious.
It’s a bit of a drive to get to Fowler’s Mill, but they sell online and ship to the Continental US. I probably won’t get there too often. But a stop at the mill will definitely be included in our annual Patterson trip from now on.
