Apples in the treez
Apple picking, apple picking, apple picking yeah! Imagine if your whole life could be applepicking except with like beets, scallions, kale and eggplant? I often imagine these things. If only I could live off the land and have that land be urban as well. Where are all the urban farms in Boston? Anyone?
So yes, I got me a ten pound bag of apples from Russell Orchards. It was really fun despite all of the annoying little childterds that ran amock. This time, I wasn't going to let all of those apples go to waste. Growing up, we pretty much always had a jar of apple butter around now that I think of it. It wasn't homemade though. That would have been cool. I can see it now. I'm inventing memories of long, lazy afternoons, stirring apples with my mom while my brother built a fire in the living room and my father drank scotch and told us stories of his youth. No no no. My brother did like to build fires and daddy liked to drink and lecture, but the apple butter changes the whole tone! Here's to making my own memories!
I just remembered that my mom had this awesome apple peeler and core machine from pampered chef that looked like this:
I'd like to get my hands on that. Hm.
Apple Butter is actually really simple to make!
First, you take like 10 apples and core each one by using a paring knife to make four slits on the bottom and top of the apple. If you go in with the knife at a slight angle, making the top part of the core thicker than the bottom, you should be able to push the core out from the bottom of the apple. see?
Then you gather your ingredients and cut up the apples. 1 cup of brown sugar, half a teaspoon of Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp allspice, and 2 Tb crystallized ginger, chopped. I made my own brown sugar by combining 1 cup of sugar with 2 Tb of molasses.
If you don't have a puree stick (immersion blender) or a food processor, peel the apples as well. But I just kept the skin right on there.
Throw all the ingredients in a big pot with a half a cup of water and heat on medium-high.
Once the water boils, turn down to medium heat and stir every few minutes. Keep stirring until all the apples break down and then continue to cook for like an hour, stirring almost constantly. At this point, there should be no whole apple pieces and the concoction should be a lovely maple brown color. The liquid is mostly gone and the remains should be the consistancy of thick applesauce. Take the pot off the heat and let cool for like 15 minutes.
Puree the mixture until virtually no chunks remain.
Return to medium heat and when the temperature has risen again, turn the heat to low and continue to cook for another hour and a half, still stirring constantly. Done! Let cool and spoon into your jars or containers. I don't have the resources right now to properly can things so we will just have to eat a lot of apple butter in the next 2 weeks before it goes bad.
Smother generously on toast, waffles, crackers, pierogies, ice cream, whatever!
This morning I am indulging in some leftover waffles from work. Maple Walnut! Yum!
Thanks for reading!
love,
jp
So yes, I got me a ten pound bag of apples from Russell Orchards. It was really fun despite all of the annoying little childterds that ran amock. This time, I wasn't going to let all of those apples go to waste. Growing up, we pretty much always had a jar of apple butter around now that I think of it. It wasn't homemade though. That would have been cool. I can see it now. I'm inventing memories of long, lazy afternoons, stirring apples with my mom while my brother built a fire in the living room and my father drank scotch and told us stories of his youth. No no no. My brother did like to build fires and daddy liked to drink and lecture, but the apple butter changes the whole tone! Here's to making my own memories!
I just remembered that my mom had this awesome apple peeler and core machine from pampered chef that looked like this:
I'd like to get my hands on that. Hm.
Apple Butter is actually really simple to make!
First, you take like 10 apples and core each one by using a paring knife to make four slits on the bottom and top of the apple. If you go in with the knife at a slight angle, making the top part of the core thicker than the bottom, you should be able to push the core out from the bottom of the apple. see?
Then you gather your ingredients and cut up the apples. 1 cup of brown sugar, half a teaspoon of Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp allspice, and 2 Tb crystallized ginger, chopped. I made my own brown sugar by combining 1 cup of sugar with 2 Tb of molasses.
If you don't have a puree stick (immersion blender) or a food processor, peel the apples as well. But I just kept the skin right on there.
Throw all the ingredients in a big pot with a half a cup of water and heat on medium-high.
Once the water boils, turn down to medium heat and stir every few minutes. Keep stirring until all the apples break down and then continue to cook for like an hour, stirring almost constantly. At this point, there should be no whole apple pieces and the concoction should be a lovely maple brown color. The liquid is mostly gone and the remains should be the consistancy of thick applesauce. Take the pot off the heat and let cool for like 15 minutes.
Puree the mixture until virtually no chunks remain.
Return to medium heat and when the temperature has risen again, turn the heat to low and continue to cook for another hour and a half, still stirring constantly. Done! Let cool and spoon into your jars or containers. I don't have the resources right now to properly can things so we will just have to eat a lot of apple butter in the next 2 weeks before it goes bad.
Smother generously on toast, waffles, crackers, pierogies, ice cream, whatever!
This morning I am indulging in some leftover waffles from work. Maple Walnut! Yum!
Thanks for reading!
love,
jp
i fucking love you and your blog. i read everything you post numerous times.
ReplyDeletei just wanted you to know.
<3 theresa