![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
In a Nutshell: Caramel Apple Skewers
You know when that surface area to volume ratio just doesn’t cut it? Basically – normal caramel apple skewers just aren’t satisfactory treats. Sure, there’s that wonderful sweet exterior, but bite through it, and what are you left with? Just a plain old granny smith apple, if you manage to get your jaw around it in the first place. You might as well be eating medicine. Our solution? Chop up the apple, stick it on a skewer, coat it in cinnamon sugar, and suffocate with caramel sauce. Perfectly balanced sweetness, and perfect portion sizes.
Recipe:
Notes
- Difficulty: Medium, but only because of the caramel. Otherwise it’s brainless
- Length: 10 minutes to prep apples, 15 minutes for caramel
- Methods of cooking: Boil (caramel)
- Keep in mind: The caramel sauce thickens when it cools, so it will stick to the apples a lot better.
- Note from Fred: Make sure you take your caramel off the heat once you add cream and butter, or it may burn. Also, don’t stir UNTIL you’ve added the dairy, or the sauce can crystalize.
- Note from Priscilla: Don’t be scared of the sizzle when you add in cold cream. It’s the best part. Make sure you cut your apples into chunks for a good bite sized ratio with lots of caramel.
- Why we made it: We’ve always wanted caramel apples, but never wanted to eat an entire apple.
- Why you should make it: Do we really need to tell you this?
Ingredients
- 4 granny smith apples (you can use any apples, but these are the most tart and complement the caramel the best)
- Sugar + Cinnamon for rolling (we suggest a 10:1 ratio, but honestly add as much or as little cinnamon as you like)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 31/2 tbsp butter
- Pinch of Kosher/Sea salt
Equipment
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Skewers
- Sauce pan
- Whisk
- Ladle/big bowl (for spooning over the sauce)
Fred Chang (12) is the Managing Editor of the TALON Yearbook and co-creator of In a Nutshell. Her positions on yearbook were reporter, Copy Editor, and...
Priscilla Pan is the features editor for the Winged Post and co-creator of In a Nutshell. She is a senior and has been part of the journalism program for...