20 jars
Yesterday was applesauce day. Three batches through the canner, and we ended up with 20 pints plus a little bit left for after supper. Here’s the ingredients, and varieties we made:
Apples: Northern Spy ($12/half bushel from Ann Arbor farmer’s market); Jonathan ($7/half bushel from Schulze’s farm west of Kalamazoo, we picked them yesterday morning); plus three or four each of Mollies and Macintoshes. There are some of the Spys and Jonathans left over, enough for a couple pies and some snacking. Seen on a sign at the farmer’s market: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away, a pie a week makes the husband more sweet.” Cross-stitch project, anyone? Anyway…
Batch 1 of the applesauce had nothing added to it but water to keep it from sticking to the pan. There are seven jars from Batch 1. It is tangy but all natural!
For Batch 2, we remembered there was some cider in the fridge so we used that instead of water. This batch was also spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and about 1/2 cup of Michigan beet sugar was added to sweeten. There are five jars.
From Batch 2, prior to the spicing and sweetening, we took out enough for two more jars. To this was added about 1 cup of crushed, food-milled blueberries, plus a bit of sugar. It looks pretty in the jar, but unfortunately the taste is not blueberry-ish at all. It was just an experiment.
For Batch 3, again we made it strictly out of apples, but with cider instead of water. These apples had sat around the longest after chopping, so the batch is a bit more brown but still tasty. There are four jars.
From Batch 3, enough for two jars was set aside. To this was added about 1/2 cup of crushed de-seeded raspberries, about a teaspoon of lemon juice, and about a quarter cup of sugar. This raspberry applesauce is truly the ultimate result of a ten-hour day of applesauce-making. It is a shame there are only two jars because it is SO GOOD. Even Rodney, hater of most things raspberry, liked it.
Left to right, above: Batch 1, Batch 2, Batch 3, Blueberry, Raspberry.
Of course, in order to make the sauce we had to get the apples. The Jonathans, at least. This is me on a ladder pretending to pick–really my mom did all the ladder work, but since the trees were loaded it only took about 5 minutes to get a half bushel picked. We also got concord grapes, but they are all hers and she’s at her house today making juice.
I’m waiting for a guy to call me back from a u-pick raspberry place because I NEED MORE. I still want to make my blueberry-raspberry jam sometime soon. It’s a pectin-free recipe.
I am also going to roast three giant butternut squashes soon in preparation for soup. I want to can a bunch of it–the recipe from Joy of Cooking is great and really simple. Just squash, leeks, fresh ginger, butter and stock. I love it. Today’s supposed to be 85 degrees and humid so I may wait on the roasting until tomorrow.
So…on the subject of being pregnant, here is an update.
Tomorrow is the first visit at our local birth center. There are a few midwives to choose from there, but it is a hospital-based facility so I have a lot of options. Right now I claim to want as natural a birth as possible, but it’s hard to say how I’ll feel closer to the actual day. I guess it will depend some on my confidence in the place and in myself too.
Around the time we moved to Kalamazoo my ill feelings kind of went away, and I had a little more energy. I’m not sure if that was because I had to deal with moving, or what, but they’re coming back a little bit now and then. Before, I didn’t feel like eating anything, but now I’m much more hungry. I can’t claim any weird cravings except the occasional coffee ice cream.
I used to feel much more cranky but that seems to have gone away. I can’t sleep well, which is nothing new for me, but now it’s that plus either being hungry or having to go to the bathroom two or three times at night. It’s a little annoying.
I didn’t tell anyone from my previous job about being pregnant. I had enough other things to fuss over with wrapping up projects and everything else that I didn’t want any special treatment or baby presents at my farewell party (see “cranky” above). Now I probably should tell them but I can’t figure out how. Note to former employee Betty, if you’re reading this, it’s OK to tell them now if you want.
andrea said,
October 5, 2005 @ 1:05 pm
applesauce is one of my favorite things ever – in fact, the other night, i had a big bowl of it along with veggie hot dogs, pierogies, and a ton of caramalized onions. a friend calls it my polish meal.
so delicious.
raspberry applesause sounds incredibly good.
and midwives rock. i went to a conference years ago, all about midwifery on this communal farm in tennessee, very cool. i was thinking about becoming amidwife but decided i’d wait until i had kids myself, so i guess it’ll be a second career or something like that. *shrug* anyhow, i love midwifery!
ahh, how pretty those jars of applesauce look… off to lunch, you’ve made me hungry
lisa said,
October 5, 2005 @ 2:34 pm
Oh how yummy! I’m seriously drooling
I had no idea you were in MI– I’m in White Lake, MI
We’re off to the apple orchard, hopefully next week. Now if only this weather would cool off!
mimi said,
October 5, 2005 @ 6:44 pm
i’ll have to mail you the squash recipe newt made in school last night. it was SO GOOD– and i don’t even like squash!
Arleta said,
October 5, 2005 @ 6:48 pm
The applesauce looks great! Yummy!
I had a midwife for my last two kids, and she was WAY better than a doctor guy. Seriously, I love midwives!
henri-v said,
October 5, 2005 @ 10:35 pm
Your apple confections look fabulous — it has inspired me to try making some.
Belated congratulations about the impending arrival!
Jeanne said,
October 5, 2005 @ 10:48 pm
Glad you’re feeling better. I’m afraid, though, that the bathroom thing will only get worse. I started setting the alarm or the kitchen timer and getting up after an hour to go to the bathroom, which surprisingly was usually enough to get me through the rest of the night.
The jars of applesauce are really beautiful. Wouldn’t those colors be pretty knitted in stripes, or maybe squares?!
carolyn said,
October 6, 2005 @ 5:00 am
the applesauce story is amazing. and sounds delish!
and the soup to be…yum!! ABP has pumpkin soup again so basically i’ll be gaining a lot of weight over the next few weeks, because if you can have pumpkin, why would you have anything else?
Wendy said,
October 6, 2005 @ 5:24 am
Wow! I somehow missed the blog entry about your pregnancy — congratulations!!!!!
Wendy said,
October 6, 2005 @ 8:47 am
I know you’re probably getting enough advice, but given your penchant for yoga and your current desire for a natural birth, you may want to look into hypnobirthing. I had a great experience with it and medical research has shown associations with shorter labor and less use of pain medications. Basically, you learn lots of self-hypnosis strategies to go along with the yoga breathing and meditation that you’re probably already really good at.
Randi said,
October 28, 2005 @ 7:45 am
you were sure busy. I just love that farmers market in Ann Arbor!! I have a batch of crockpot apple butter going now, hopefully it will come out good.