CUISINE & CULTURE
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ANGELINA@ANGELINALARUE.COM
ANGELINA L aRUE I take pleasure in making a trip to the local apple orchard. Each season I can hardly wait for the types of apples that mature early so I can begin making all the apple treats my family and I enjoy.
Apple crisps, pies and cobblers are all a big hit. And the house never smells better than while I’m baking anything with apples and warm spices.
We have a special friend who is really more like family to us. He is my daughter-in-law’s 96-year-old PePa. And the man likes his apple butter. He received some last Christmas, but in the haste of the holidays and celebrations, they could not determine just who left this delightful treat with them. My son thought perhaps it was me, but I had not made any in quite some time.
On our recent trip to visit our grandson, I thought making apple butter with him would be a fun project. It turns out my grandson was more interested in his dinosaurs. But I still got the chance to make the apple butter for PePa and share it with my grandson.
We This version filled with lots of spices and sweetened with maple syrup is the best I’ve ever made or tasted. I hope you find it to be one you love, as well. Make a pint for yourself and one to give to the PePas in your life. Enjoy food made fresh!
The Best Apple Butter
3 pounds apples of any variety 1 cup apple cider 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground cloves 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon salt ½ cup pure maple syrup 2-pint jars, or 4 (8-ounce) jars with lids and rings Clean, core and dice apples, leaving skins intact. Place them into a large saucepan. Add cider, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium and cook stirring occasionally until apples are transparent and tender, about 30 minutes.
Use a blender or immersion blender to puree the apples until smooth but with a slight texture. Return pureed apples to the saucepan (immersion blenders may be used right in the saucepan). Add ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg and salt. Stir to combine. Stir in maple syrup until incorporated.
Bring mixture back to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until thickened.
Sterilize jars in hot water, let dry. Fill jars with apple butter, leaving a 1/4-inch headspace then cover with lids and rings. Let cool, then refrigerate for up to a month, or can the apple butter by placing filled jars into a water bath canner for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, remove lid from canner, then wait 5 minutes for processing before removing the jars. Dry the jars and let cool. Labels may be added to the jars, if desired.
Angelina LaRue, author of “The Whole Enchilada: Fresh and Nutritious Southwestern Cuisine,” grew up at White River Lake, lives in Idalou and writes a weekly food column for local newspapers.
