If you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one food to survive on, which food would you choose?

Would it be a juicy steak, a fluffy baked potato or a piece of creamy cheesecake? These foods would have to be prepared over or in a heated appliance. And what if there was no way to cook the food on the island?

The food that would keep you alive the longest would be apples. They are loaded with good things, like fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Apples are good to eat alone or gussied up in salads, and if there is a way to cook food on the island, they could be used as side dishes to meats, in breads and in a mountain of desserts.

Do you like your apples crisp, tart, sweet, juicy or firm? There is an apple for all tastes.

This information comes from the first edition of the Big Red Apple Festival in Cornelia, Ga., and was sent to me by Florence Turnbull.

I opened the book recently to a recipe that looked familiar, then saw my name at the bottom. Apparently, I had sent Florence some recipes to use in the book.

• ????

This was one of the recipes in the Big Red Apple Cookbook. It's caramel sauce makes a moist and flavorful cake.

Tailgate Apple Cake

Cake:

3 cups apples, peeled and sliced

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 tablespoons vanilla

3 cups presifted flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup pecans, chopped, save some for garnish

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

6 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup evaporated milk

Prepare apples and set aside. Blend oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix well. Stir in apples and nuts. Pour in pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes.

Meanwhile make a topping by combining brown sugar, butter and milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and pour immediately over hot cake. The icing will be partially absorbed in the cake, leaving a caramel topping. Garnish with reserved nuts. Do not cut for at least 1 hour.

• ????

Do you think your homemade applesauce is too bland? Try this recipe from Woman's Day magazine. It is tangy with a bit of zip from red hot candies.

Rosy Cinnamon

Ginger Applesauce

1 pound each McIntosh, Granny Smith and Rome apples

1 cup apple cider or apple juice

2 strips, about 3-inch each, lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons cinnamon red hot candies

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Peel, halve and core apples. Cut into 2-inch chunks. Place in a 5-quart pot with apple cider or juice, lemon zest and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered 25 minutes or until apples are tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Continue to cook, stirring, until the candies dissolve, about 3 minutes. Discard zest. Crush with a potato masher until applesauce is chunky or smooth, according to taste. Serve warm or cold.

Makes about 10 servings, so some can be put in containers and frozen.

• ????

This is a Woman's Day recipe. It uses apples in an Asian-flavored salad.

Asian Sesame

Apple Slaw

1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar

2 tablespoons dark sesame oil

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 each Gala, Golden Delicious and Granny Smith apple, all halved, cored and thinly sliced

8 cups finely shredded Napa cabbage

1 red bell pepper, seeded, cut into thin strips

1/2 seedless cucumber, cut in thin strips

3 scallions, thinly sliced

3/4 cup cilantro, optional

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

In a large bowl, whisk vinegar, oil, honey and salt until blended. Add apple slices and toss to coat. Add remaining ingredients and toss again. This can be made up to four hours ahead and refrigerated. Toss gently just before serving. Makes eight servings.

(McCoy can be contacted at emccoy@heraldstaronline.com)