September 29, 2019

by Francesca Patterson

While many people may feel downhearted over the disappearance of summer items such as peaches and berries, there is a silver lining to be appreciated. As the leaves begin to fall from the trees, the stone fruit fades away and apples come to the rescue to pick up right where they left off. When apple season starts, there is no stopping the delicious and brilliant frenzy of variety that it brings with it. 
I’ve written briefly about this already this summer, but cooked apples are one of my favorite things since I was old enough to dictate my tastes. Making apple sauce is yourself is so simple to stir up, it will seem pointless to buy it in cups at the grocery store. Especially when you can customize it to match your precise standards because all apples are definitely not the same. At our stands, we have a spread of apples that range from being sweeter like Fuji or Gala, or more complex and tart in flavors such as a Stayman or Jonathan apple. You are the boss of the apple sauce, so combine varieties to add different notes or stay strictly one kind. Also, some of the apples will be so good you may not even want to add sugar. Keep it as simple or complicated as you choose.  
 
Apples and the sweetness of applesauce hold many symbols of festivity, especially around this time of fall harvest and holidays. It’s also a healing and comforting delicacy that appeals to people of all ages, tastes, and meal types. Try pairing this with meats like roasted chicken or pork, or enjoy this with toast or by itself. The lemon juice will prevent the apples from browning as well as helping to preserve it. Put the leftovers in a glass container or jar, and they will keep in your fridge for up to ten days. 
 

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 lbs of apples (peeled and chopped, about 5 or 6 medium-sized apples) 
  • 1/2 lemon (juiced) 
  • 1/4 cup of brown sugar (optional, or use your preferred sweetener) 
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1/4 tsp salt 

DIRECTIONS

  1. Once apples are chopped, all of your ingredients to a large pot and stir to combine well. Bring this mixture to a boil on medium-high, and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot for 20-30 minutes, or until apples have completely softened and reduced. 
  2. Turn off the heat and allow your apples to cool for about 10 minutes. Once apples are cooled, pour the mixture into a blender one cup at a time and blend until it reaches desired consistency. It is better to do small batches in order to avoid messes. If no blender is available, you can also mash your cooked apples with a potato masher until the chunks have gone smooth. 
  3. Serve this warm with ice cream, or save it in the fridge to enjoy cold for up to 10 days.