Today dawned cold, rainy and very windy. The thermometer stood at +2C, or about +35ºF. But this was the day to pick apples and make applesauce. The apples on the tree by greenhouse #1 were ready. There was nothing else on the schedule, other than the usual chores. So S. came over and together we picked two large pails of apples. Not so many as usual, but enough for now.
She helped me wash and cut up the apples. From there they went into two big stockpots to cook down to sauce. I took a break while they cooked, had a cup of coffee and read for a while. Latest book: Alice Hoffman's The Dovekeepers. Around 12 I started putting the soft cooked apples through the food mill, spooning them into 1 pint jars and putting them into the hot water bath in the canner.
I was really thankful that I had a frozen lasagne, Basilli's Best, in the freezer, the right size for just the two of us. I'm not very good at making lasagne, it's a lot of work, and this grocery store freezer lasagne is actually very good. That saved me making dinner at the same time that I was making applesauce.
By 1:50 p.m. the applesauce was finished. Ten pint jars (actually slightly more content, as they are metric) and three 4 cup containers. All the jars sealed!!! I used to have at least 2 out of 7 jars that didn't seal. S. clued me into the fact that the boiling water needs to be about 2" ABOVE the tops of the jars. Somehow I never knew that, although I've done lots and lots of canning over the years. So I was VERY happy that all 10 jars sealed themselves. This tree, which I call the "Greenhouse Apple Tree"--we don't know what variety it is--makes lovely pink applesauce that needs no sugar. We use lots of this applesauce, both with dinners and on our breakfast pancakes.
A very satisfying accomplishment on a cold, cloudy, windy Monday.
She helped me wash and cut up the apples. From there they went into two big stockpots to cook down to sauce. I took a break while they cooked, had a cup of coffee and read for a while. Latest book: Alice Hoffman's The Dovekeepers. Around 12 I started putting the soft cooked apples through the food mill, spooning them into 1 pint jars and putting them into the hot water bath in the canner.
I was really thankful that I had a frozen lasagne, Basilli's Best, in the freezer, the right size for just the two of us. I'm not very good at making lasagne, it's a lot of work, and this grocery store freezer lasagne is actually very good. That saved me making dinner at the same time that I was making applesauce.
By 1:50 p.m. the applesauce was finished. Ten pint jars (actually slightly more content, as they are metric) and three 4 cup containers. All the jars sealed!!! I used to have at least 2 out of 7 jars that didn't seal. S. clued me into the fact that the boiling water needs to be about 2" ABOVE the tops of the jars. Somehow I never knew that, although I've done lots and lots of canning over the years. So I was VERY happy that all 10 jars sealed themselves. This tree, which I call the "Greenhouse Apple Tree"--we don't know what variety it is--makes lovely pink applesauce that needs no sugar. We use lots of this applesauce, both with dinners and on our breakfast pancakes.
A very satisfying accomplishment on a cold, cloudy, windy Monday.
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