DIY almanac: heirloom apple butter

My cousin was in town a little while ago. I took her out to the tomato farm and then decided we should pick apples together since it was such a gorgeous, late-summer afternoon. My family has two 100-year-old apple trees, and there are some more wild ones growing in a meadow across the road from the farm. To get to this forgotten apple orchard, you have to scramble through a thicket of blackberries, and once through, you'll find yourself in a peaceful field of golden grass, speckled with ancient apple trees and a few small Hawthorns. My cousin and I picked all sorts of apples that day: tiny pink apples, skinny yellow apples, and big, fat green ones. With such an abundance of fresh apples, I had one thing on the brain: apple butter! Mmm, after being slow-cooked with spices, homemade apple butter is absolutely heavenly spread on some toast. I made some right away, here's my recipe- you have to try this:

Ingredients:

10 cups peeled and seeded apples, cubed

1 cup apple juice or cider

Cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove to taste

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 tablespoons brown sugar

Throw apples and cider into a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. When apples are soft, saucy, and brown add the spices, lemon juice, and brown sugar and mix well. Slowly begin mashing the mixture. Using a hand blender, blend the apples until smooth and creamy. Get out some good bread and enjoy! Goes well with peanut butter too for an autumnal spin on the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I also have jars of this apple butter up on etsy: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31220354

our homestead: gee, I like fruits n' veggies.

I am absolutely, positively in love with vegetables. And fruits. And mushrooms. And nuts. And all the other nifty edibles Mother Nature has generously provided for us human folk to discover. There is nothing as marvelous as the act of pulling a bright, sweet carrot from the dirt..or brushing one's hand over the rich, green and nutty leaves of spinach. There is nothing as tantalizing as a roasted baby red fingerling potato pierced with a shiny fork- its creamy, buttery flavor but moments from being enjoyed. There is nothing that smells as clean and cool as a just-sliced lemon cucumber or as sweet and tart as a vine-ripened cherry tomato.

In writing this blog, I have decided it would best to share my adoration for produce with others- to grant people with creative recipes, cool facts, and colorful photographs about the gourmet flora I love. Where did this 'love' sprout from? Well, it could be in my nature: both sets of Great Grandparents on my mom's side were either farmers or nursery owners in the "old countries". I might also mention my green-thumb parents: a dad who once owned his own landscaping business and a mom with a tomato farm. On this note, my admiration of veggies also stems from childhood years of eating lesser-known purple potatoes, carving pumpkins grown in a big patch down our hill, picking berries, cherries, and apples galore from our yard, and tending my own mini-vegetable and sunflower gardens. My mom, a talented woman in all things "earthy", began making goatsmilk soap and soon headed to the local farmers market with her creations. This venture to the market inspired her to pursue farming: tomatoes, honey, garlic, herbs, eggplant, basil, cucumbers, eggs...and needless to say I came along and became a "market brat", spending much of my time at the market, meeting local farmers, and learning the "in's and out's" of fruits and veggies. Thus, in a nutshell, I bring this blog to you- a place where I can express how awesome vegetables really are.