Making applesauce

It has taken some practice, but Jess is finally getting the hang of peeling apples.

Her first attempt, she peeled half an apple before walking away.

The second attempt, she’d turn the handle in the right direction, but the middle of the apple there was more resistance and she’d reverse the direction. This is a simple tool and going backwards doesn’t work well.

Today was her third attempt. By Jove, I think she got it! Still not perfect, we are going in the right direction.

Jess carried the pot of apples to the stove and went to town adding the cinnamon. We are still working on portion control.

The first thing my Mom taught me to cook was applesauce. It was quick, didn’t require a recipe and kept the attention of my seven-year-old self. The best part was eating the fresh sauce while it was still hot!

Mom’s method was to cut up the apples, add water, bring to a soft boil, cooking till fork tender. When the apples finished cooking, she then used a Foley food mill to remove the skin, making the sauce smooth and then would add the rest of the ingredients. Some people like to leave the peel from red applies because it gives the sauce a blush color.

Instead of using a food mill, we prefer an apple peeler. I like to get the work done up front and it is more fun for Jess to use. The peeler removes the core and 99% of the peel. Add a couple of cups of water, a hint of brown sugar, a dusting of cinnamon, a splash of lemon juice and a few grains of salt. Soft apples like Macintosh don’t take long to cook. Finish using a potato masher.