Friday, November 8, 2013

Move Over, Pioneer Woman



Or maybe not just yet.

Tall Kid called one afternoon and asked, “Mom, are Jonathan apples any good?” I, of course, replied that they are a wonderful all-around apple and happen to be my favorite. He then informed me that he’d been given nearly all the apples on a tree and would I like them. He and his wife, he assured me, would love to come help me make apple butter and applesauce, and I could teach them to can. So, like any good mother, I said, “Yes,” and that’s how I wound up with a thirty gallon Rubbermaid tub full of apples.

Time got away from everyone, and soon those apples were rotting. <sigh> Time to take care of them. I sorted the apples that would submit to the apple peeler/corer/slicer from the ones that wouldn’t. Then I got busy washing…
 








                                                         Quartering…
                                                                                                                And cooking the apples.
  







 Then I put them through a nifty device called the Squeezo strainer. (Perhaps you can forgive the name when I tell you it was first manufactured in 1919 and by 1930 was an indispensable kitchen appliance. I inherited mine from my mother-in-law.) This appliance has to be attached to a table with a clamp-like screw. Since my dining room table is unsuitable, I used our picnic table outside.



When I took out the first batch, three yellow jackets eagerly awaited my arrival. (Not sure how they knew I’d be coming, but.. <shrug>) By the time I returned with the second batch, they’d invited their friends. About fifty of them. Swarming around my head as I worked.

The Lord and I had been chatting off and on all day, but I deemed this an appropriate time to catch Him up on what was going on in my world.





After finishing the outside part of my chore without incident, I strained the pulp for apple cider, and used the remainder for fruit leather…

And apple butter.
The fruit leather didn’t work out very well. It tasted perfect, but I couldn’t get it to peel off the dehydrator sheet. (Note to self – Next time, pour a thicker layer of pulp.)


With the rest of the apples, I cored and sliced some for drying…
And some for applesauce.
Needless to say, my family has been enjoying numerous meals featuring apples. I am grateful to God and to my son for the bountiful harvest, but I think I’ve had enough for now.

5 comments:

  1. I am certainly impressed with your apple endeavors! Yum!

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    1. Thanks, Britney. I'm not usually that energetic, but I hate to see good (free) food go to waste.

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  2. What's amazing is the variety of tools our ancestors invented specifically for processing apples, many of which have not or cannot be improved upon.

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  3. I used to make applesauce every year, but as seasons come and go, so did my applesauce making days.

    I thoroughly enjoyed this post, Lora. Thank you for sharing!

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  4. My mom had a Squeezo! She loved that thing. We usually set it up on the picnic table too, because you didn't have to worry so much about the mess. I don't know if we made applesauce - but yours looks delicious!

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