How do ya like them apples?

 I've said it many times: if I could choose only one season to drink beer, Fall would be it. The flavors of my favorite drink are deeper, more satisfying, and more varied. This change is much like the changing scenery around here at this time of year. I could gaze at the hills and horizons for hours, mesmerized by the flames of red, orange, yellow, brown, and balancing green. The scent of the air when I run on the Towpath is so familiar, so enticing. Many beverages get warmer and fuller, comforting spices become more prominent in sweet and savory foods. The harvest adjusts from summer tomatoes, peppers, and zucchinis to apples, pumpkins, and root vegetables.

This year, I found a way to embrace the season a little more. Over the course of the last two weeks, I purchased 8 bags of apples from a local orchard and got to work domestic-like. I made Fall Harvest Butter from my book The Vegan Slowcooker. Much to the dismay of my Gramma, I can never make a recipe exactly as directed. Half the time it's because I don't have all the ingredients required. Other times it's because I think my changes will make it better (sometimes I'm right, sometimes not). Or sometimes it's because I am simply poor at following directions. The Fall Harvest Butter making process fell into the latter and second to latter (can I say that? If not, how do you signify not the former and not the latter, but somewhere in between?). I added molasses because I thought it would taste good and I over spiced it because I didn't notice when the specified amount switched from 1 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon partially through the spice list. The result is a little heavy on the cloves and I'm not sure the molasses was the best idea. Even still, I think it will be great added to oatmeal. I gave jars to my family and I'm awaiting to see their reactions. Like many families, mine tends not to pull any punches. There's no lying or beating around the bush with us. However, we don't generally go out of our way to hurt feelings. Therefore, if the fruit butter is a bust, they'll probably not mention it. But since the anticipation will likely drive me to ask them, I am sure they will tell me the truth.

One of the many, many bags of local apples I purchased.

Fall Harvest Butter, made with Ohio Maple syrup in my slow cooker.

But here's my best success story of the week: I made apple cider and it's better than you can buy at the farm! It was so sweet (no sugar added), so fresh, and so seasonal! Apple cider is really just apple juice with no filtration. Most apple cider is pasteurized (cooked) to help prevent bellyaches and based on my cider, I think it cooks away a little bit of the "punchline". I didn't pasteurize mine or even skim off the foam and pulp. I figured I would eat those apples without cooking them first and there wouldn't be too much time between juicing and drinking, so bacteria wouldn't have much time to get monstrous. I was right. I brought it to my family's first annual clam bake and it didn't last long.

This is 15 pounds of apples. I made no claim that this was economical. Just delicious!

I wonder what else I can do with Fall harvest from my local farmers...