Ordered a bushel of Ginger Gold apples from Warwick Orchards. I tried them for the first time last year, and while they're a bit soft and mealy for dehydrating, they're perfect for applesauce. No sugar or anything required. They turn a lovely pinkish colour when you process them. I leave mine a little chunky instead of totally smooth, and minus the cost of the lids, they're just over half the cost of store-bought pints of applesauce.
A friend is going to come over so we can do apples together. She is leaning toward jelly and apple butter, and I conveniently own a steam juicer that makes jelly much easier.
I love this time of year. Huge tractors thundering down the road like some kind of Transformers. The golden fields. The V of geese against the silver sky. Tucking in, storing up, squirreling away. Making the switch from cucumber salads to potato soups. This year instead of storing zucchini in the freezer, I'm making it into bread first and freezing that, so it's ready to eat. I also make the same recipe with pumpkin or butternut squash. With a handful of hickory nuts thrown in, there's nothing better.
Here's to autumn! My favourite season.
