We’ve reached the end ladies & gentlemen!  Apples are over.  And to mark the end of the long road, I took the last of the great warriors and made ourselves some deliciously healthy & fresh applesauce.  Back to basics!  What is applesauce?  Well, it’s a sauce…made of apples.  Ha, Wikipedia could do so much better.

Applesauce is deliciously inexpensive & was originally a food prepared for the winter, since it keeps well.  Commercial versions are HUGE nowadays, but truth be told, I don’t think I’ll ever be buying commercial again!  I had a big pot-ful of applesauce this morning in just 20 minutes…and considering what Europeans use the stuff with, I think it’s a great thing we have an apple tree at hand for next year’s bigger batch!  In Sweden & Britain, for instance, it’s usually eaten as a condiment for roast pork; in Germany, it accompanies potato pancakes; in the Netherlands, people often eat it with their fries – WOW – and it’s also popular on toast.  It’s not to be confused with apple butter, which is slow-cooked version that results in a much thicker compote – the healthiest fruit compote of all, FYI!  Applesauce is usually sweetened and another info tidbit that I’ll just put out there for all of you to know: it’s a homemade remedy to combat diarrhea.  Just so you know.  For the kids.

Although applesauce can be made to each & everyone’s taste, this recipe is the simplest of them all…so simple it makes you wonder why more people don’t make it themselves anymore?  Oh, the times…

For the Applesauce

• 3 pounds of apples, such as McIntosh or Empire
• 1/2 cup of water
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 3/4 cup of sugar

Peel, core, & chop your apples!  You should have about 6 cups.  Combine them in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or pot with the water& lemon juice.  Cover & simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft & falling apart, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the sugar and raise the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until the applesauce thickens.  It’s really up to you how thick you want it!  If you’d like a smooth sauce, puree in a food processor or blender, but to be honest I stirred it so much it turned out to be pretty smooth all by itself!