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Apples
I just have to say something about the Sabine Apples from the Chapel Apple, as a matter of fact.
By the chapel there is an apple. These are the best apples I have ever tasted.
They are hard and tart/sweet, and perfect for eating or baking.
Each time I come back from the chapel, I bring a basket. I will soon get out the Sabine Ladder.
"But Father! But Father!", you are clearly saying by now. "What do you do with all those apples?"
I eat them.
I have a pie on the schedule.
I am making apple sauce.
Here I am making some savory apple sauce for use with a pork chop. Rosemary, thyme, savory, a touch of hot pepper and cinnamon and a dash of gin and honey.
Simply the best apples anywhere.
Yum!..love apples!
Comment by Fr. John Mary — 4 October 2009 @ 5:59 pmIn our newly acquired property of a former Parish, we have some apples trees that may have been the result of kids throwing their apple cores on the side some thirty or forty years ago…maybe it’s a sign of a new “fruitfulness” for the Church of the Third Millenium…just a thought!
‘’By the chapel there is an apple. These are the best apples I have ever tasted.’’
Wonderful. It sounds like the beginning of a poem…
Do you know what variety they are Father?
Comment by Magpie — 4 October 2009 @ 6:14 pmCould they be Haroldsons?
Comment by ssoldie — 4 October 2009 @ 6:48 pmAs a child my mother use to make a number of apple pies and freeze them unbaked so any time during the winter when we felt like pie we just took the foil off and baked them. My job was always to peel, core and slice. Makes me feel like getting the rolling pin out…
Comment by AnnaTrad51 — 4 October 2009 @ 6:53 pmThere are delicious apples here in Quebec, too—and it’s apple-picking season right now. My husband chops them up and puts them in pancakes for weekend morning breakfasts. Yum!
Comment by chloesmom — 4 October 2009 @ 7:49 pmlucky. sigh. they look fantastic.
As a child I remember my father getting out the rickety old wooden cider press, hauling it over near the apple trees, two would walk around the press with the press handles turning the press, everybody else would run around gathering apples, throwing them in. wasps would hover and flit around in the sweet cider spray.
This is why today’s ‘apple juice’ turns my stomach. having had the rich foamy intense apple cider, ‘apple juice’ is just watery nastiness, sugar water.
Enjoy em while the harvest is rich, Father.
Comment by Tina in Ashburn — 4 October 2009 @ 7:58 pmTina in Ashburn: Not only would my grandparents make fresh cider, but would make apple butter in a bronze pot outside…the smells still are tangible to me even some forty years later.
Comment by Fr. John Mary — 4 October 2009 @ 8:07 pmThat was a family tradition, which my parents tried to keep going, but I’m not sure if they still do…
I’d trade you the apple tree for a fig tree, Father. The squirrels pull the figs off the tree, take a bite, and render them useless. No one wants to eat a fig that a bushy-tailed rodent got to first. And besides, nothing smells like “home” more than apples baking in the oven.
Tina in Ashburn and Fr. John Mary:
How about cider donuts? The Amish make them on the weekends at some of their farm markets in Lancaster County whenever they start pressing cider. It’s one more reason to look forward to Autumn.
Comment by Girgadis — 4 October 2009 @ 8:33 pmIt is like a dream.
Comment by Louis — 4 October 2009 @ 9:36 pmGirgadis,
I envy you your fig tree – I love fresh figs which are only available about two weeks a year here and cost a small fortune.
Have you tried fox urine spray to keep the squirrels away? Or whatever your local squirrel predator is? Dogs, bears, cats, whatever ?
I live in Alaska and you can get this stuff based on wolf urine to keep the moose away – I can’t remember the name. I only use it on a few trees I really value because they have to eat too. But don’t spray it right on the figs :)
Comment by isabella — 4 October 2009 @ 9:39 pmooh…savory apple sauce…what a great idea! Thanks for sharing, Fr. Z!
Comment by gmarie — 4 October 2009 @ 10:00 pmI love the photographs. Fr.Z, any way for you to market some 8×10 glossies? Especially the chapel with the autumn colors in the trees. Wanda
Comment by wanda — 4 October 2009 @ 10:31 pmGirgadis: I do love figs. Especially with thin thin San Daniele prosciutto.
Comment by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf — 4 October 2009 @ 11:07 pmoh those cider doughnuts are some of the best things i’ve ever eaten in my life. anyone know where i could get a recipe?
Comment by lux_perpetua — 5 October 2009 @ 5:01 amApples this time of year are so better than stored apples.They are plentiful here and so inexpensive. I hope the kids don’t see this blog about this, they will be screaming apple pie as well. (Can’t say I blame them) Time to get the rolling pin out here as well and satisfy their craving. But, I am seeing opportunity here Father…package and sell some of them
Comment by momoften — 5 October 2009 @ 7:13 amOh, those apples look yummy, Father Z!
Fox/ wolf ‘pee’ to scare squirrels/ moose away? EWWWW….well, at least the stuff isn’t directly ‘sprayed’ on the fruit….
Comment by irishgirl — 5 October 2009 @ 9:48 amAh… apples. My sister went to the store last week and got our first Honey-crisps of the season…. Oh it had been so long since I’d had one of those and they’re amazing. I’m sure you’d say your apples are better though Fr. Z, and I’m also sure you’d be right. Great… now I want apple Blossom cake… gotta make some. This isn’t helping my weight loss… oh well, I’ll work out more.
Comment by Torpedo1 — 5 October 2009 @ 11:15 amOh, Fr. That’s just plain mean. I live in central California, where no apple grows tasty, too warm here. My Fiji tree produces tasteless orbs every year. How I miss my Pennsylvania apples! Thanks for sharing! I’m really hungry for a good apple now…
Comment by lucy — 5 October 2009 @ 12:41 pmTwo weekends ago, my wife and I made the short trip to Minnesota Harvest apple orchard. There’s something special about a good apple.
Comment by Luke — 5 October 2009 @ 1:23 pmLucy: Have you never heard of “Apple Valley”? I used to go on retreats by Yucaipa and stop there.
Comment by Melody — 5 October 2009 @ 1:27 pmYes, this is a fine time to bake my deep dish apple pie. I think I will do that this week.
Comment by Cathy_of_Alex — 5 October 2009 @ 3:03 pmFr Z. Magpie said that your words sounded like the beginning of a poem. I have just got out of bed (here in Australia) and gave a go at writing one.
By the chapel
There’s an apple.
the best apples
I’ve ever tasted.
Not one of them
ever shall
ever shall
be wasted.
I’ll make apple sauce
and also apple tart
and eating the raw apples
is real good for my heart.
I have many more poems that I write just to entertain and to teach people including The Clutter Monster and a 20 stanza poem on St Philomena. If anyone wants to see them they are here.
http://missionbell.homestead.com/Poems.html
Comment by Jane — 5 October 2009 @ 3:42 pm“I do love figs. Especially with thin thin San Daniele prosciutto.”
Father Z if you ever visit South Philly we will treat you to plenty of both.
Comment by Girgadis — 5 October 2009 @ 6:25 pmHere in Western Australia I have a fig tree. There are no squirrels to bite them but birds do come and peck them and then the ants come swarming over them because of the sweet juice. I also have three olive trees and the White Cockatoos descend on them in their hundreds. It is not unusual to see a blanket of white all over the trees, powerlines and roof tops. The Cockies usually pick a whole bunch of olives at once and throw the majority onto the ground.
Comment by JARay — 5 October 2009 @ 7:18 pmI’m deff. going to try your savory apple sauce recipe. I luuuuv apples!
Comment by Desertfalcon — 6 October 2009 @ 9:54 am