The apple, the whole apple, and nothing but the apple!

An apple pie might be a classic, but did you know that you can use ALL of the apple as well?

Choosing loose fruit and veggies and packing them into a cloth bag are just two of the ways you can reduce your use of plastic. Source: Getty Images

These are not your average apples. Source: Gabrielle Easter

Who doesn't love a good apple? Whether you like it tart or sweet or somewhere in-between, you can't deny that this handy snack is just one of the examples of nature's perfection.

But with all the different types of apples in the market today (I mean really, there are more varieties in your average supermarket than I can count on one hand!), it seems like such a waste to just eat the flesh (as delicious as it is!). Here are our 5 favourite ways to enjoy the humble apple:

Buttered apples, quandongs, kohlrabi pickle and capers in cos heartsImageThink that the only good apple is perfectly shiny and bright red? Well, Western Australia's Bravo apple is a deep Burgundy, and pairs especially well with native flavours like quandong! READ MORE

Worcestershire sauceImageApples (or plums! Or both, no judgement!) are cooked to a pulp with a mixture of spices and other flavours, and then you leave it to sit and age for a year. Did we mention that you leave it ALL intact? The skin, the core - everything! No waste here!

Crabapple and port jelly

Did you know that apple and lemon pips are fantastic, natural source of pectin when you're making jam? Simply leave the skin and core in when you're making a jelly, or leave the peel and core in a muslin bag to remove later if you're making a chunky jam!

Crabapple and port jelly Source: Not Just Jam

Apple and rye whisky fritters

Fritters are classic; fresh fruit spiced and battered, then deep fried. The pro tip from Matthew Evans? Using pork fat for the batter gives you a superior fritter. For these seriously tasty apple and rye whisky ones, let the apple rings macerate in the alcohol, sugar and saffron for an hour for the best flavour experience. Plus, we heard fruit, so they have to be healthy, right?

Source: Alan Benson

Baked apples with coconut cream

This recipe may not need the core, but it depends on the peel of the apple to hold everything together. Apples are stuffed and baked whole till they're delightfully tender, and having the peel on means that these delights come ready-portioned to serve. How convenient!

Baked apples with coconut cream Source: Clare Winfield

Apple teas

And if you just like snacking on apples but don't like eating the peel? Well, why not add it to your next cuppa to zhoosh it up a little? Whether it's green, black or iced, the apple peel adds a subtle fragrance and just a hint of sweetness. Check out our Turkish apple tea recipe right here.

Peter Kuruvita's Coastal Kitchen airs 8pm, Thursdays on SBS and then you can catch-up on SBS On Demand. Visit the program page for recipes, videos and more.