Monday, October 25, 2010

Martha's Apple Butter

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When cool fall days arrive here in Manhattan, I instinctively begin to miss home.  The smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves make me homesick for weekends I spent baking with my mother and nights when my father would slowly mull apple cider on the stove top.

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Perhaps what I miss most about being home in Virginia are the people - family and friends.  Besides feeling nostalgic for my own family and food, I miss the community.

My parents talk about our neighbors as very close friends - our conversations include updates on all the neighborhood children, pets, and get-togethers.  A community that considers each other family and are quick to offer a helping hand.

Meanwhile,  as I juggle grocery bags and dig in my purse for the keys, my neighbors walk quickly past without even so much as a hello.


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When a fall trip home is not an option, the next-best thing is to step into the kitchen and whip up something that will inevitably transport me, if even just momentarily, to a little corner of Virginia.

A place where I can relax and feel the warmth of my family.  A place where I can remove myself briefly from the race pace of the city and just be myself.

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This recipe was perfected by Martha, a very dear friend to my parents, and entrusted to me last year.  I failed miserably at recreating Martha's delicious apple butter last year, a result of not yet owning a large enough crock-pot.

Although Martha was convinced it was a result of me using apples that were "too beautiful".

But this fall, armed with a 7 quart crock-pot, which  consumes all of the available counter space in my kitchen, and reject apples from a local farm, I produced a perfect replica of Martha's recipe.

Most importantly, the apples and spices filled the apartment all day long with their warm, homey fragrance, offering comfort and assurance for my homesickness.

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Martha's Apple Butter
recipe courtesy of Martha E. Spencer
makes 5 to 6 pints
active time 15 minutes | inactive time 9 hours

Ingredients
9 pounds apples, assorted varieties
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground all-spice

Preparation Instructions
Peel, core, and dice apples.  [Note:  I did not peel my apples, which yields a chunkier apple butter]  Place apples in a large crock-pot, filling to the rim.

Combine vinegar, sugar, and spices in large mixing bowl.  Whisk until fully combined.  Pour spice mixture over apples, stirring to evenly coat the apples.

Cover crock-pot and cook on high for 30 to 45 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and cook an additional 8 to 9 hours, stirring occasionally.

Remove lid and increase heat to high.  Cook, stirring often, until desired thickness is achieved.  [Note: I cooked the apple butter an additional 45 minutes, until there was little liquid remaining]

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