An appley tradition

Have you ever made applesauce? I mean, really made applesauce? The answer is no if you haven't done it with my Grandmother.

This weekend I had the pleasure of canning 22 quarts of homemade applesauce made from the translucent apples of my Grandma and Grandpa's trees. They had been picked just the day before and needed to be used immediately before they ripened and browned any more. The first step was to de-briuse, de-core, and de-black-spot the apples, which took quite a while considering we had a bushel and a half (1 bushel = 4 pecks or 8 dry gallons) of delicious, light green apples. The apples were dropped into big pots and cooked until they mushed against the side of the ancient, much used and loved kettles. Entire pots (think gallons and gallons of fragrant, simmering apple mush) were sent through a sieve, which my brother cranked persistantly for what seemed like hours at a time. This old, trusty contraption was quite an interesting thing and it worked very well at separating the skins and left-over cores of the apples from their soft, golden insides. This glorious mush was then returned to the stove, where my dad had the pleasure of adding simple white sugar to his heart's content. Once the sauce was sufficiently sweetened, it was put into jars using a handy funnel and scoop. The jars were sealed will wax-ringed lids and classic metal rings. It was fun to listen for the "pop" of the metal lids as they sealed and squeezed down, safe for months of shelf life.

I was surprised at how simple and fun the process was when all of us worked together. The best part was having a specific job which, once mastered, made one feel like quite a contributor to the applesauce process. My job was to scoop the steaming cooked apples into the sieve while my brother cranked and Grandpa collected the sauce. I enjoyed nibbling on the hot apple skins, which have lots of sweet flavor. We worked in my grandparent's basement, where I can only imagine how many hours have been spent canning and preserving the most beautiful fruits and vegetables. There is nothing like eating Grandma's strawberry jam on homemade bread, and Grandpa's homemade pickles simply can't be beat. Among Grandma's other delicacies are her tea ring and cinnamon buns... mmm, my mouth is watering now... I need a glass of milk.

I feel quite blessed to have been a small part of Grandma's great work. My grandmother has spent years working hard to bring truly good food to her family, neighbors, church, and who knows how many more people. She is amazingly generous and does none of this work for herself, for she insists upon giving away the "fruits" of her labor. I only hope my life can be as marked by love, faith, and family as hers is. Perhaps I'll have to plant an apple tree in my backyard so I can carry on the applesauce tradition!

P.S. Nutrition note: Use applesauce in exchange for vegetable or canola oil in baking mixes or recipes. The results are similar texture, less fat and even more flavor!