“Surely the apple is the noblest of fruits.” — Henry David Thoreau
It is apple season here at Pure Grace Farms. Normally this time of year, I could be found out in the orchard enjoying a crisp apple, while filling a basket chock full of big beautiful apples. Most likely I would be daydreaming of apple pies, cakes and sauces to come with all my precious bounty. Unfortunately, this year it was not to be.
Spring this year came early and was unseasonably warm. Apple, plum, pear and cherry trees blossomed early but I didn’t think much of it. I was too busy digging in the dirt enjoying the warm sun as it beat down on my back. Then disaster hit, a cold snap blew in and caught everyone in our little valley unaware. All my beautiful fruit tree blossoms fell to the ground. I am still recovering from the loss.
Tim took pity on me (that and he wanted to secure an apple pie or two) and drove to an orchard 50 miles away to get a couple bushels of apples. They may not be homegrown, but let me tell you, those apples are delicious.
I have enjoyed homemade applesauce ever since I was a little girl and it has spoiled me. Homemade applesauce brings a fresh crisp apple taste, tart and tangy, with a hint of cinnamon to tantalize your taste buds. There is no way you are going to find that kind of flavor and freshness on a shelf in your local grocery store. The great news is applesauce takes very little effort to make. If you are interested in canning your applesauce here is a great link to walk you through it, National Center For Home Canning and Preservation.
One thing I have found that is invaluable to me when making any kind of sauce is a stick blender. A stick blender blends and purees my applesauce right in the pan. I no longer have to run the applesauce through a food mill which can be messy and time consuming. Using a stick blender also has cut my time easily in half. Here is a link to the one that I use Cuisinart CSB-75BC Smart Stick 2-Speed Immersion Hand Blender, Brushed Chrome
Time to get busy on an apple pie for Tim and unfortunately those apples aren’t going to peel themselves.
I would like to offer an apology to my friends on pinterest who may have pinned my recipe earlier and found it to be a bad link. Unfortunately, my original post was lost due to a server issue and I had to redo the entire post. 2 lessons learned, 1) back up everything 2) don’t sweat the small stuff and keep on smiling.
- 7 Lbs of Apples (about 21 Medium)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup sugar (optional)
- 1 tbsp cinnamon or more to taste (optional)
- Peel. core and roughly chop apples
- Place apples and water in large stock pot.
- Bring apples and water to a boil. reduce heat.
- Simmer apples until soft.
- Stir apples occasionally to prevent sticking.
- If apples get to dry add a small amount of water.
- Once apples are soft add sugar and cinnamon if desired.
- Use stick blender or food mill for smooth applesauce.
- Use potato masher if chunkier sauce is desired.
- Sweetness of your sauce is dependent on the mix of apples used. Use a blend of sweet and tart apples and you may be able to skip the sugar all together.
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