I'd like to plant some Osage orange trees. Can you tell me about them?

A pedestal mixer keeps both hands free to assemble ingredients. (Antonis Achilleos)

Maclura pomifera, also called Osage orange or hedge apple, is a resilient and handsome tree that thrives in zones 4 to 9. Native to Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, it is fast-growing with attractively fissured bark and dark-green foliage that turns yellow in fall. Its wood is very strong and rot-resistant, and not prone to any serious pests or disease. Once established, the tree can withstand drought, wetness, wind, heat, snow and ice, and even very acid soil.

At this time of year, Osage orange trees are in full fruit. Their chartreuse fruits, which are 3 inches to 6 inches in diameter, consist of many individual fruitlets, giving them a textured surface. Although Osage oranges are closely related to figs and mulberries, their fruit is extremely bitter and therefore inedible. (Squirrels eat the seeds.)

Because the trees can reach 20 feet to 40 feet tall and the fruits may weigh more than 2 pounds each, safety is an issue when the fruit begins to drop in mid-fall. Be sure to site the trees away from homes, children's play areas, cars, decks, and pools. Or choose fruitless male cultivars, such as Wichita or White Shield. While female Osage orange trees have thorn-covered branches, the male cultivars are thornless or have spines only on young branches.

Finally, because the tree's tolerant nature and prolific seed production can cause it to spread to public lands and forests, planting is discouraged in some places. To find out about the guidelines in your area, check with your state's cooperative extension service.

Are handheld mixers adequate substitutes for stand mixers?

Though a handheld mixer can sometimes do the work of a stand mixer, the latter has several advantages. First, it's far more versatile, with flat paddle beaters, wire whisks, and dough hooks. Handheld mixers typically have only the metal beaters.

Second, a stand mixer generally contains a 400-watt to 700-watt motor, whereas handhelds muster only 200 watts to 280 watts. This means stiff cookie batter or bread dough may overtax your handheld mixer's motor. Stand mixers have the added benefit of leaving the cook with both hands free to assemble ingredients; always turn off the mixer before scraping down the sides of the bowl.

All those advantages come at a price. Costing up to 10 times as much as a handheld, a stand mixer is a serious investment. Plus, it requires more storage space than a compact handheld mixer.

What is egg wash used for? Are there different types?

Egg wash is a liquid brushed atop baked goods to add shine or deepen color. It can consist of a whole egg, egg whites, or yolks, or any of these mixed with water, milk, or cream. The ingredients should be beaten with a fork and applied gently and evenly with a pastry brush just before baking.

The choice of egg wash depends on the desired result. A high shine is derived from egg protein, so if gloss is what you're after - say, on a pie crust - use only the protein-rich egg whites. You can reduce the shine by diluting the white with water. Egg-white-based washes will also make your baked goods slightly crisp, and they can be used as an adhesive (for example, to secure poppy seeds or sesame seeds to a loaf of bread).

The fat in egg yolks, meanwhile, turns dough golden brown, which is desirable for brioche, rolls and other breads. The addition of milk or cream will enhance the color. If you want to add both shine and color, use a whole egg.

Although egg washes add more ingredients to the recipe, the taste and nutritional value of the baked item will not change significantly, because only very small amounts of wash are required. Spread it thinly over a large surface area with a pastry brush, and then bake the item according to the recipe.

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Questions should be addressed to Ask Martha, care of Letters Department, Martha Stewart Living, 11 W. 42nd Street, New York, N.Y., 10036. Questions may also be sent by electronic mail to: mslletters@ marthastewart.com. Please include your name, address, and daytime telephone number. Questions of general interest will be answered in this column; Martha Stewart regrets that unpublished letters cannot be answered individually. For more information on the Ask Martha column, visit marthastewart.com.