Apple Delights

In the spring of this year, all apple owners worried and hoped that it wouldn’t be quite as bad as it seemed at first. The spring months brought another round of heavy frost and it looked as if the autumn apple harvest could not be saved. A pity, because everything had already frozen last year and there were no sweet fruits to harvest.

But we were lucky! Some trees had probably not yet blossomed when the frost came and showed themselves in full splendor. All the greater is the joy now, because last week we were able to harvest the beautiful, juicy apples.

In the most beautiful autumn weather, the children climbed the trees and shook branch after branch. Fruits that simply would not be shaken off, we knocked down with long sticks. On the ground, all the helpers could then busily gather and collect the delicious harvest!

With the help of the apple roller gadget, “picking up” from the ground is also quick and easy. For those who want to get this useful device, it really pays off and you have it for years (available at Faie “Rollblitz” and all other suppliers). Next week, those apples that are planned for apple juice will be brought down and taken to the fruit press. This also secures the naturally cloudy apple juice for the farm breakfast. With the apples collected so far, the mash for the schnapps is prepared and delicious applesauce, pastries, and compote are made. If you would like to make the applesauce yourself, here is the recipe:

Katharina’s Applesauce

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Ingredients:
Juicy apples, cinnamon, sugar, citric acid

Preparation: Collect apples and cut into wedges with an apple corer or small fruit knife (with the peel). The core or leftovers go to our animals (delicious…). Put a little water in a cooking pot and add the cut apples. Heat slowly and let simmer covered. When the apples “fall apart” and become soft, stir occasionally, then blend finely with an immersion blender and put back on the stove. Then, depending on the sweetness of the apples, add fine granulated sugar, a bit of cinnamon, and let it boil down. If you want the applesauce firm, add gelling sugar instead of granulated sugar. After the gel test, taste the finished applesauce (add more sugar if needed, a little citric acid (so the color of the apple jam lasts longer), cinnamon, and if you like, a splash of farm fruit brandy), fill into clean jars, put the lid on, and turn the jar upside down for 10 minutes. Then turn the jar back over and label it. The delicious applesauce is ready. Our guests particularly like the applesauce at breakfast in combination with the natural yogurt. This way you also have a vitamin boost :-) from your own garden in winter. Good luck.

A beautiful autumn Sunday wishes farmer’s wife
Katharina from Zittrauerhof in Gasteinertal