I also always use a combination of apples but always include some Granny Smiths. A couple of tips I've learned over the last 40 years of pie baking: when making any kind of fruit pie, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the sugar/spice/starch mixture over the bottom of the pie crust before filling, which thickens up the juices and prevents the bottom crust from getting soggy. And always always dot the pie filling generously with butter which makes a wonderfully rich delicious pie. And learn to perfect your crust. The best filling in the world doesn't matter if the crust isn't flaky and tender.

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