Sweet treats from our Smoky Mountain ancestors

Back in the day of our Smoky Mountain ancestors, apple fritters were sweet treats worth waiting for. They contained ingredients local to this part of the country — apples, apple cider, self-rising flour, sugar or sorghum for sweetening, and lard or vegetable oil for frying. Fritters took a bit of artistry to prepare — not just anyone could turn everyday ingredients into a lighter-than-air fritter.

Fall apples make the best fritters

So right now, when fresh local apples are coming into the market and being pressed into cider, it’s a good time to recreate this old mountain treat. Fried crispy and rolled in sugar, these fritters remind us of fall. They also remind us that we should be thankful for the resourceful cooks who first prepared recipes like this and handed down their methods so we can continue to make them today.

History of self-rising flour

Self-rising flour has a long history in the South and was designed for busy cooks. Containing baking powder and salt, this flour was “self-rising,” and cooks figured out they could use it in all sorts of baked goods, from fritters, to biscuits, to cakes, to dumplings. The next time you are shopping in our General Store or online, grab a bag and make a batch of apple cider fritters!