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| Author |
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| 25 new of 130 responses total. |
denise
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response 79 of 130:
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Sep 17 09:58 UTC 2007 |
Are all the trees your picking from, Sindi, on public property and thus,
free for the taking? For me, I'd feel rather uncomfortable picking
that many apples to fill 3 refridgerators full. Even if the trees
seemed abandoned, it seems like some of them, at least, would still be
on private property.
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mary
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response 80 of 130:
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Sep 17 12:08 UTC 2007 |
I'm so glad you like the applesauce, Denise. I've made batches that only
cooked for around eight hours, and they were fine, although maybe a little
chunkier if I used lots of Granny Smiths. That variety seems to hold up
the longest. I don't remember if the end volume was significantly more,
but the less reduced it is the milder the flavor. So you can see how there
is room to making this "to taste".
As to how it would go making applebutter in your crockpot - it
depends. Up until this year I had a really old Rival crockpot.
Like, from the seventies. It would only break into a visible simmer
if it was on high for hours and hours, covered. I now have a new
crockpot and it simmers on low, no problem. I did a bit of research
on this and crockpots have changed over time - getting hotter. Too
bad, really. I think it was a food safety thing.
When I make applebutter in my new crockpot I'll have the apples ready to
go first thing, early morning. And let it rip until bedtime. I'll then
simply turn it off and let it cool until morning. That would give me a
good 16 hours of cooking, which I think would do the job at that higher
heat. I also don't stir it at all while it's cooking but not because I
think that's a problem (the literature says that's only an issue with
older crockpots) but because I'm into appreciating the "hands-off"
crockpot feature.
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mary
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response 81 of 130:
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Sep 17 12:14 UTC 2007 |
Regarding your stirring question - I suspect that the more you stir the
more you need to stir as every time you lift the lid you lose moisture
and the product gets thicker. Maybe. All I can tell you is I don't
stir this recipe from the time I put the apples in the pot until after
it's been off and cooled some, and sticking has never been a problem.
But then that was with my old crockpot. Things may change. ;-)
I'm going to make a batch within the next couple of weeks. I'll report
back.
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keesan
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response 82 of 130:
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Sep 17 15:08 UTC 2007 |
The apples we collected were falling on the ground. Half of what we got was
windfalls. On previous occasions we had picked up the non-rotten ones and
thrown all the rest into a small pile, which is helpful to the people who mow.
It is also helpful to them that more apples do not fall. Obviously nobody
was picking them or picking them up. Americans do not like apples with bad
spots, which most of these have. The tree we got most of the apples from is
next to a parking lot of a restaurant which is closed and for sale. We used
to pick pears from a local pizza place but they chopped down the tree because
it was dropping pears on the parking lot and was messy. We also picked up
fallen branches and threw them into a pile. The other tree was dropping
apples onto the road. There were lots of apples under it.
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glenda
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response 83 of 130:
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Sep 17 15:34 UTC 2007 |
You are still trespassing and breaking the law. The property may be for
sale or appear abandoned, but it does belong to someone. You could be
arrested if someone called you into the police while you were there
picking up the fruit. I would never do such a thing without contacting
the owners of record and getting explicit permission.
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keesan
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response 84 of 130:
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Sep 17 16:31 UTC 2007 |
You do what you like, and we will do what we like. We waved at several people
in trucks going in and out of the parking lot and they all smiled at us.
We have asked permission to collect apples from trees in people's yards
(always given gladly - less for them to pick up before mowing). We got
permission from a manager at an apartment complex (she wanted us to sign a
release in case we fell out of a tree) and brought her a few of the best
apples. Nobody has every objected and most were grateful.
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slynne
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response 85 of 130:
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Sep 17 17:19 UTC 2007 |
resp:83 You gotta admit, though, that the odds of anyone calling the
cops on someone picking up old apples off the ground are pretty close to
zero.
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keesan
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response 86 of 130:
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Sep 17 23:26 UTC 2007 |
We also got permission to pick cherries, three times. Can one trespass in
a public parking lot?
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denise
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response 87 of 130:
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Sep 18 00:54 UTC 2007 |
That's true, Mary, about the flavor being milder if it wasn't 'reduced'
as much. And I do love the flavor of the stuff I made, so I'll stick
with that. Or, perhaps, take some of it out at about 7-8 hours and let
the rest go the full time and compare the two. And I'll let it go
without taking the lid off and stirring so much, too. :-)
I thought I had to go do some stuff tomorrow but found out this evening
that it needs to be postponed. So tomorrow I'll try and do another
batch. [and will also find something to fix up using the small tomatoes
that I got from my SIL last week].
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denise
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response 88 of 130:
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Sep 19 21:28 UTC 2007 |
I made my 2nd batch of applesauce yesterday. I really packed those
chopped apples in there tight and filled it to the brim so that the
cover had *just* enough room to sit on top of the pot without any heat
getting out. And per the above suggestions, I didn't stir it at all. It
cooked for maybe 10 hours, then after turning it off, I let it sit in
the pot for another hour or so to start cooling off. I then finally took
the lid off and stirred... And as a result, I had so much more than
last time, probably double! It's a bit more 'liquidy' than the first
one, but that's ok. I had a taste of it last night as I filled my
containers [was still nice and warm] but haven't tried any yet today.
Will do so with dinner this evening. I currently have one bowl in the
'fridge and added 4 more to the freezer [with the 1 3/4 cup containers
almost full; the 2 in the freezeer from the last batch don't have quite
as much].
I'm going to enjoy this stuff--and will continue to make more until my
supply of apples run out. I do have somee, but not enough for the 3 qt
crock pot. But sometimes my dad brings home some fruit for me every week
from the grocery store [while I take care of my mom while he's gone].
So hopefully, as the apples come in and are on-sale, he'll get some
more. Hmm, perhaps if I entice him with some sauce I've already made,
perhaps that would ensure he'll provide the needed fruit. :-) And of
course, whenever I get out to the grocery store again, I'll get some,
too, if they're on salee...
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keesan
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response 89 of 130:
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Sep 20 02:54 UTC 2007 |
We only cook ours for about half an hour, until it is soft.
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mary
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response 90 of 130:
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Sep 20 17:58 UTC 2007 |
I find it thickens when refrigerated. Consistency also varies some
with the type of apples used. But I've never had a batch come out
as thin as Motts natural, which I consider decent jar applesauce.
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denise
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response 91 of 130:
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Sep 21 00:59 UTC 2007 |
When I heated up a portion of the applesauce earilier today, I added a
dab of carmel [the kind for dipping apples and such into]. It was good,
though a tad bit on the sweet side [though nothing wrong with a bit of
sweetness in life, eh?]
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edina
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response 92 of 130:
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Sep 21 15:22 UTC 2007 |
That's why you serve it with ice cream, to cut the sweetness.
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cmcgee
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response 93 of 130:
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Sep 21 16:05 UTC 2007 |
Heads up on the annual Grex Walk to the Dexter Cider Mill, with lunch at
the Lighthouse Cafe.
See Grexwalk item in Agora.
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denise
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response 94 of 130:
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Sep 21 17:17 UTC 2007 |
So sad that the Cider Mill trip has to be on a Saturday. :-( I'll have
to go on my own some day down the road... Let me know his the Sat.
trip goes!
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denise
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response 95 of 130:
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Oct 20 22:17 UTC 2008 |
Has anyone done anything special with this year's crop of apples yet?
Any good recipes for apple crisp or anything else simple? I'm going to
be copying the crock pot applesauce recipe; I haven't made any yet this
year... I'll have to try finding some of that apple brandy; I never did
find any last fall. I know Mary said it's expensive, but the finished
product does taste sooo much nicer than without it...
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denise
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response 96 of 130:
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Oct 20 22:20 UTC 2008 |
And what kind of apples do y'all like to eat and/or cook with?
I recall using different types of apples in the various batches of apple
sauce that I made last year; some I liked better than the others, I just
don't remember which was which!
With lunch, I had a honey crisp apple; these are juicy and really good,
as far as I'm concerned--at least for eating plain. Dunno how they are
for cooking.
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keesan
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response 97 of 130:
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Oct 20 23:15 UTC 2008 |
We just went apple picking on Eisenhower Blvd near some major intersection.
Found two good trees but the air is really awful there. We stuck it out long
enough to get windfalls and also picked rose hips and wild grapes on some
highway overpass with trucks roaring by. We just eat them, or if there are
a lot with rotten parts, we dry them or make and freeze applesauce. We cut
up apples into our oatmeal, or sometimes cook with cabbage and onions, or even
microwave them with nuts (this year hickory instead of black walnut) and anise
and coriander (ground up). Macs are mushy with touch skins and relatively
tasteless. What else is for sale in stores?
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mary
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response 98 of 130:
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Oct 21 12:33 UTC 2008 |
In my seasonal cooking fall means soups and applesauce. My plan is to go
to Farmer's Market tomorrow and get a huge bag of mixed apple seconds and
make up a batch this weekend. I used the last container of last year's
batch just about a month ago. Then I'll cook-up some curried butternut
squash soup (again, with apples) and pronounce it autumn. ;-)
I'm planning to attend the Grex BOD meeting tonight and I'll bring along a
dose of Calvados for you to try this recipe. You really don't want to buy
a bottle until you know you like it.
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mary
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response 99 of 130:
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Oct 21 12:34 UTC 2008 |
Actually, I think it's "Farmers' Market", but who cares?
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denise
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response 100 of 130:
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Oct 21 14:42 UTC 2008 |
Mary, I've tried the applesauce both ways and I definitely prefer it
*with* our secret ingredient... :-)
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denise
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response 101 of 130:
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Oct 21 14:46 UTC 2008 |
Speaking of the Farmer's Market, what are their hours on Wednesdays? I
have an appt. late Wed. mornings; perhaps I'll be able to check out
their apple selection in the afternoon.
Does anyone know if the Ypsilanti Farmer's Market still happening on
Tuesday afternoons? I know they don't have it all year; I just don't
know when it'll end for this year. [Does the Saturday one go all year?]
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denise
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response 102 of 130:
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Oct 6 01:28 UTC 2010 |
It's apple-picking time... So what are your favorite apple varieties for
eating? for cooking/baking? And what/where are your favorite orchards
these days?
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denise
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response 103 of 130:
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Oct 6 01:31 UTC 2010 |
For the past 2-3 years, my favorite apple for eating is Honey Crisp. Am
not sure which varieties are best for the crock pot applesauce, though.
I do need to keep better track of what works and what doesn't when I
make each batch...
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