I was visiting my mom one Fall and I asked to go through her recipe box and write down any of the ones I wanted. We sat and looked through the many recipes and I would ask her about if this or that one were any good. I was surprised to find recipes I had never tried before. I remember as I looked through it thinking: “I don’t think I have ever had apple bars.” I asked my mom about the recipe and she said it was her father’s favorite. He passed when I was too young to really understand death. My clearest memories were not about foods he liked. I remembered most fishing and being told I was scaring the fish with my incessant talking.

I thought about what a precious gift it is to learn something more about him, another way to honor my ancestry by making something he loved. So I went home and tried out this new to me recipe handed down from my ancestry. Peeling, coring, and shredding the apples, mixing the batter, all while thinking of my scant memories of my grandpa. The bars are light and cake-like. They taste a bit like what I would think the ambrosia of the gods would taste like.

This recipe is something I often think about as the autumnal equinox comes closer and apples are in season here in New England. It also helps me to prepare myself for the coming Samhain by reminding me of my ancestors. Enjoy!

Grandpa’s Favorite Apple Bars
In honor and memory of R.L.H.

3 medium sized eggs
1 cup of oil (I use canola)
1&1/2 cups sugar
2 cups of flour
6 medium sized apples: peeled, cored, and shredded or finely chopped (Granny Smiths are my favorite baking apple, but you can use others)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the eggs in a bowl and beat for 1 minute (I do this by hand but you can use a mixer if you want). Add the sugar and oil, stir until combined. Add in the dry ingredients. When the batter is ready, fold in the apples. Grease a 9 by 13 inch pan and pour in the batter. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool slightly and cut into bars.