When life gives apples...

...make apple butter!

Although we made the trip to Apple Hill a couple of weeks ago, the kitchen help has been slow to get to work on this seasonal favorite. The boxes of apples have been waiting patiently, and waiting, and waiting! In between running to and from the dance studio for Nutcracker rehearsals, this weekend was spent peeling, slicing, coring, cooking, seasoning, stirring, and canning lots o' Golden Delicious apples to make our annual batch of apple butter.

This time around, we experimented by using a fraction of the sugar that the recipe calls for, and the results were wonderful. Five out of five taste testers agreed that this is an exceptionally tasty vintage.

I am almost certain that I heard Helen T's voice echoing in my brain as I stacked the finished product on the pantry shelf.  I cannot make, eat, or even think about apple butter without remembering Helen. Oh, I probably shouldn't add our beloved neighbor's comment here verbatim, as I have to keep this blog "G" rated, but I'll give you a sanitized version. 


When commenting on a person's obvious lack of knowledge regarding a certain topic, in a mischievous tone she'd frequently say, "He doesn't know $@*! from apple butter." 

Even though Helen passed away many years ago, I can still hear her saying this and many other pet phrases; however, I cannot repeat most of those sayings in front of my children.

She'd be so pleased that I know apple butter when I see it. ;-)