Quote from Intro:

"Anyone can cook, and most everyone should. It's a sorry sign that many people consider cooking 'from scratch' an unusual and even rare talent.
In fact, it is a simple and rewarding craft, one that anyone can learn and even succeed at from the get-go."
-Bittman, HTCE

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Applesauce



HTCEV p. 419
Recipe: Applesauce
Rating: ***

Making applesauce is something I never thought I would try. Two simple things inspired me to do it:
1. The fact that my sister and I made jam ourselves. If nothing else, that experience has gotten me really questioning what I can make myself and why I choose not to.
2. I had a bunch of apples that I wasn't eating. They were sitting in my hanging basket, threatening to begin to rot any day now.

3. (reason to do it once I was inspired) Mark Bittman had some amazing suggestions of things to add to applesauce. After thinking that I may do it, I read the list and was totally on board. Cayenne in applesauce? Consider my interest peaked.

Behold: The makings for applesauce!

I only had five apples and the recipe calls for five pounds. But the recipe is just apples and water so I didn't think it would be that big of a deal. I also had to peel them all by hand since I don't have a food mill. Not having a job and having a fairly slow afternoon ahead of me, this task wasn't really daunting. Besides, I found my pairing knife and wanted to try it out.

Not much to say about this recipe besides that it could not be easier. Since I made half and am now looking at about three servings, I do wish I had more apples and had doubled or tripled the recipe and taking on canning with it. There's always next time.


My comments on this recipe is that the final product wasn't very saucy. I put the amount of water recommended and in the end I got something more of the texture of mashed potatoes. Nothing wrong with that and maybe with a food processor it would have been better. Still, it's something I would make again.