My grandmother like her mother who came over from the Netherlands was a great cook! My great grandmother as soon as she arrived to the states got a job as a cook for as they called it "famous" people :) But anyhow she insisted when making apple pie or apple /pear pie you must use at least 3 varieties! She always used equal amounts of Cortland and Granny smith but the 3rd apple I don't remember a consistant variety. So she must of used whatever was ready at the orchard. I do remember a couple yrs she did add Jonathans. But they always had to have Granny smith in them! Her and my grandfather would always take us kids apple picking at an orchard in Cortland, Ohio. We live in the same county as the Rome apple was invented in but i'm not fond of that kind. Last yr I took my grandkids apple picking for the 1st time but they only had 2 apple varieties available that I use in my pies Cortland and Melrose! I wanted to get Johnathan and Granny smith (I use 4 varieties) but they were't available :'( so I stopped at the store and got some granny smith.(To teach the kids how to make a pie. I only use 1 or 2 granny smiths per pie though) The granny smiths in my grandmothers pies always turned out perfect. But sometimes in my pies they'd be a lil chewy so found away to add them so this don't happen. I cut them in small cubes a lil bigger than say cranberries or blueberries. And I Med to thick slice the other apples. The pies are the best!!! (I keep the lil cubes in separate bowls in a bit of water w/ a tad lemon juice to stop browning while I cut up other apples. Then I mix my normal flavoring in w/ the slices. I then put a layer of slices in then sprinkle some of the cubes over that layer and repeat slices, cubes slices ect) I use Melrose, Macs and Cortlands for sauce. But every yr I want to try a new variety but then wind up picking up the same ones lol I think I'm stuck in a rut! I do want to try Winesap, Northern spy, Braeburn, Enterprise, Arkansas black & Empire. Also I see alot of Ida reds growing around here but I've never eaten one so want to try that kind too. I know for sure any apple pie I make has to have Cortlands in it! My grandmother always used a crumb topping of flour brown sugar and butter. I use that kind and the kind w/ oatmeal too. Oh put a thin layer of flour or cornstarch mixed with a lil sugar on the bottom crust b4 adding filling.

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