Dana from Zona Pellucida read my piece on how to eat summer fruits and asked:

Too bad I haven’t been able to read this until autumn. Are there any recommendations on how to eat fall fruits easily and safely?

Good question, Dana. Fall fruits are more challenging than summer fruits. For one thing, they’re elusive. Wikipedia’s Seasonal Food page lists a couple fruits each for winter and spring, 18 different summer fruits, and a grand total of zero fruits for fall. But don’t despair. Fall fruits do exist. They include pumpkin, apples, and … um, did I say pumpkin already?

The most important thing to remember about fall fruits is that they should always be consumed in the form of pie. Pies can be obtained in a variety of ways.

Method 1: Bake a Pie

Baking a pie is the oldest and most traditional method of pie acquisition. To bake a delicious pie featuring your favorite fruit, you will need:

• A recipe for a delicious pie featuring your favorite fall fruit.
• Pie ingredients, as listed in the recipe.
• Assorted pie-making tools, such as an oven, a rolling pin, a pie pan, etc.

1. Learn to bake.
2. Following the directions in the recipe, bake the pie.

That’s all there is to it! What could be simpler?

Method 2: Purchase a Pie

If you don’t have time to bake a pie, you can always buy one. You will need:

• Money.
• The name, address, and operating hours of a reputable pie retailer (typically a grocery store, restaurant, or bakery).

1. Go to the pie retailer during their operating hours. Bring money.
2. Find an employee, and inform them that you wish to exchange some of your money for one of their pies. They’ll walk you through the rest of the procedure.

Method 3: Steal a Pie

Occasionally, you may find yourself unable to bake or purchase a pie. For example, you may be out of both money and pie ingredients, or you may have a sudden desire for pie late at night, when all the pie retailers in your area are closed. In that case, you’ll have to steal a pie. You will need:

• The name, address, and operating hours of a reputable pie retailer.
• A set of lockpicks, a crowbar, or a rock.
• A car or other motor vehicle.
• A friend.

1. Have your friend drive you to the pie retailer during a time when the retailer is closed.
2. Ask your friend to remain in the car and keep the engine running.
3. Using the lockpicks, crowbar, or rock, enter the building.
4. Working quickly, locate the pie storage area. This will probably be inside a refrigerator.
5. Take a pie, leave the store, and jump into the waiting car.
6. Instruct your friend to drive away from the pie shop.
7. Enjoy your pie! And don’t forget to share it with your friend.

Method 4: Obtain a Pie Through Extortion

If you can’t bake or purchase a pie, and none of your friends are available to help you steal one, don’t despair — you can still obtain a pie using a simple time-honored process known as extortion. You will need:

• The name, address, and operating hours of a reputable pie retailer.
• A general air of intimidation.

1. Go to the pie retailer during their operating hours.
2. Project a general air of intimidation while entering the pie shop. Try to walk with a swagger.
3. Maintain the swagger as you approach the pie display and pick up a pie.
4. Say something like “Nice pie shop you’ve got here. It would be a shame if something happened to it.”
5. Swagger out of the store with your pie.

Well, Dana, I hope this answers your question and provides you with the knowledge you’ll need to incorporate delicious and healthful autumn fruits into your diet. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with.