After Apple Picking
My long two-pointed ladder's sticking through a tree
Toward heaven still.
And there's a barrel that I didn't fill
Beside it, and there may be two or three
Apples I didn't pick upon some bough.
But I am done with apple-picking now.
-Excerpt from "After Apple Picking" by Robert Frost
Last weekend, I engaged in a very American autumny activity: I picked apples. But, I didn't pick just any apples; I picked Connecticut state apples. The creme de la creme of Macintosh country (so "they" say). After my boyfriend and I concluded that yes, you pick the apples off the tree - not off the ground - we were on a roll, picking over 50 apples. We brought home pounds of Macintosh, Cortland, Ida Red and Jonagold beauties. What in the world does one ambitious cook do with 50+ apples, you say? Obviously, she makes Cardamom Apple Butter and Homemade Apple Sauce. Also soon to come are Apple Brandy, Apple, Pear and Chestnut Crisp and Butternut Squash and Apple Soup. With that many apples, I'm sure there will be other adventurous creations as well. For now, here are the recipes to get you started on your own apple adventures.
Cardamom Apple Butter: Yields 8 Half-Pints
5 lbs apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 1/2 cups apple cider
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 T ground cardamom
1. Combine apples and cider in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and continue cooking for 25 minutes, or until apples are tender and starting to break down. Add additional water or cider if apples become too dry and be sure to stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
2. Let apples cool slightly. Puree in a food processor and then return to the pot. Add sugar and cardamom and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Gently cook the apple butter until the sugar is dissolved and it coats the back of a spoon.
3. While the apple butter cooks, wash and sterilize 8 half-pint jars, lids and rings. When the apple butter is ready, remove hot sterilized jars from water bath (reserving water) and place on a towel. Carefully ladle butter into jars. Wipe rims, top with lids and screw on rings.
4. Place back in the water bath, bring to a boil, and process for 10 minutes. Remove from water and allow to come before room temperature before tightening rings and labeling jars.
Homemade Apple Sauce: Yields 5 pints
5 lbs apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 1/2 cups apple cider or water
1 T lemon juice
2 T maple syrup
Combine apples, cider, and lemon juice in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking for about 25 minutes, or until apples are tender and fairly broken down. Stir in maple syrup. If desired, puree in a food process or with a food mill.
Optional: Simmer apples with 2 cinnamon sticks or stir in 1 T of ground cinnamon to finished sauce. Chinese 5-spice powder also makes a tasty and unique applesauce.
Hope you enjoy these delicious simple apple recipes. They were a wonderful way to preserve the flavors of fall. Again, there are many more apple recipes on the way so stay tuned. In addition to these apple creations, I made one of my all-time favorite meals tonight: Vegetarian Chili with Smoked Cheddar Cornbread and Sweet Pepper Jam. Holey Moley! Be sure to check back for these recipes - you definitely won't want to miss them.
I shall conclude with another excerpt from "After Apple Picking." While I love apples and cooking with them, it sort of describes how I felt after prepping 10 lbs of apples. Enjoy the harvest!
Of apple-picking; I am overtired
Of the great harvest I myself desired
Toward heaven still.
And there's a barrel that I didn't fill
Beside it, and there may be two or three
Apples I didn't pick upon some bough.
But I am done with apple-picking now.
-Excerpt from "After Apple Picking" by Robert Frost
Last weekend, I engaged in a very American autumny activity: I picked apples. But, I didn't pick just any apples; I picked Connecticut state apples. The creme de la creme of Macintosh country (so "they" say). After my boyfriend and I concluded that yes, you pick the apples off the tree - not off the ground - we were on a roll, picking over 50 apples. We brought home pounds of Macintosh, Cortland, Ida Red and Jonagold beauties. What in the world does one ambitious cook do with 50+ apples, you say? Obviously, she makes Cardamom Apple Butter and Homemade Apple Sauce. Also soon to come are Apple Brandy, Apple, Pear and Chestnut Crisp and Butternut Squash and Apple Soup. With that many apples, I'm sure there will be other adventurous creations as well. For now, here are the recipes to get you started on your own apple adventures.
Cardamom Apple Butter: Yields 8 Half-Pints
5 lbs apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 1/2 cups apple cider
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 T ground cardamom
1. Combine apples and cider in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and continue cooking for 25 minutes, or until apples are tender and starting to break down. Add additional water or cider if apples become too dry and be sure to stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
2. Let apples cool slightly. Puree in a food processor and then return to the pot. Add sugar and cardamom and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Gently cook the apple butter until the sugar is dissolved and it coats the back of a spoon.
3. While the apple butter cooks, wash and sterilize 8 half-pint jars, lids and rings. When the apple butter is ready, remove hot sterilized jars from water bath (reserving water) and place on a towel. Carefully ladle butter into jars. Wipe rims, top with lids and screw on rings.
4. Place back in the water bath, bring to a boil, and process for 10 minutes. Remove from water and allow to come before room temperature before tightening rings and labeling jars.
Homemade Apple Sauce: Yields 5 pints
5 lbs apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 1/2 cups apple cider or water
1 T lemon juice
2 T maple syrup
Combine apples, cider, and lemon juice in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking for about 25 minutes, or until apples are tender and fairly broken down. Stir in maple syrup. If desired, puree in a food process or with a food mill.
Optional: Simmer apples with 2 cinnamon sticks or stir in 1 T of ground cinnamon to finished sauce. Chinese 5-spice powder also makes a tasty and unique applesauce.
Hope you enjoy these delicious simple apple recipes. They were a wonderful way to preserve the flavors of fall. Again, there are many more apple recipes on the way so stay tuned. In addition to these apple creations, I made one of my all-time favorite meals tonight: Vegetarian Chili with Smoked Cheddar Cornbread and Sweet Pepper Jam. Holey Moley! Be sure to check back for these recipes - you definitely won't want to miss them.
I shall conclude with another excerpt from "After Apple Picking." While I love apples and cooking with them, it sort of describes how I felt after prepping 10 lbs of apples. Enjoy the harvest!
Of apple-picking; I am overtired
Of the great harvest I myself desired
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