Ontario Fruit Explorers

["Biz Storms" <biz.storms@sympatico.ca>]

Hi Tom,

 

Nope – no Howland Wonder, but we do have Wolf River, Alexander, and some enormous Princess Louise, that rival the Wolf in size. There is also Spokane Beauty – which came out of Fred Janson’s orchard. It’s a big, honking apple  -  red flush on pale yellow, lots of white peening, with really pronounced lobes. Identified as a baking apple – it’s really dense, and feels weightier than the Princess Louise. Your question about the Howland makes me want to add it to the orchard, though.

 

Here’s the list of what Margie’s providing -  

 

Baldwin, Belle de Boskoop, Bishop's Pippen, Cabashea, Chenango Strawberry, Cox's Orange Pippen, Gallia Beauty, Golden Reinette, Golden Russet, Greensweet, Grimes Golden, Jefferis, King, King of Pippens, Lasalle, Mann, Margil, New Brunswick, Northwest Greening, Pewaukee, Ribston, Rome Beauty, Salome, Shiawassee, Snow, Winter Banana, York Imperial

 

One of our members is also bring a Baxter for viewing – I had to look that up in Apples of Ontario from 1914. Plus, some of the really distinct apples that also came out of Fred’s orchard have fruited. Like Betsey and the Coe’s Gold Drop. My one caution is that many may actually be smaller than their true size since we had such a drought year. Next year will confirm their true size, with the second round of fruiting.

 

Cheers, Bizmark.

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: labruscagrape-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:labruscagrape-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Thomas Olenio
Sent: September 18, 2007 8:05 AM
To: 'Ontario Fruit Explorers'
Subject: Re: [OFEX] Tom's Apple Butter recipe & a pear question

 

Hi,

 

I use what we have on hand for everything.  The only apples in the farm orchard are heritage;

 

       Northern Spy

       Improved Snow

       Mac’s

       St. Lawrence

       Wolverton Beauties

 

The Northern Spy’s make the best pies and cider, so I would assume that they would be best for apple butter.

 

It is the ying&yang (sweet&tart) that makes the best desert and the Northern Spy provides the best tart (and texture).

 

Northern Spy is also the best storage apple in the orchard.

 

Last weekend, what we think are Macs were falling from the tree, and we picked the whole tree.  This apple tree was rescued from the subdivision we live in, and placed in the farm orchard.  It has turned out to be a very nice tree.  Good production, little pruning.  We got a 1.5 bushels from the tree this season.

 

Is Margie bringing you any Howland Wonder?  Those things make people do double takes.  Even triple takes.

 

Later,

Tom

 

 

---

From: labruscagrape-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:labruscagrape-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Biz Storms
Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 7:10 AM
To: 'Ontario Fruit Explorers'
Subject: [OFEX] Tom's Apple Butter recipe & a pear question

 

Hey Tom,

 

I have copied your apple butter recipe from nafex to below in case we have non-nafex members in the group, and I also have questions. Do you use any kind of apple? Does it work well with just cooking apples – which we now have a small quantity that fruited? Does it benefit from a blend?

 

Also, a local farmer has a few trees of Flemish Beauty Pear and he’s offered some to me in the past. Would these make good pear butter? I don’t know the taste and the qualities of the Flemish Beauty and don’t want to impose on him needlessly.

 

Cheers, Bizmark.

 

 

 

Here’s Tom’s recipe which I’m going to try for Thanksgiving.

Hi,

>

> 

>

> That would have been apple butter, only replacing the apples with

> pears. Apple butter is great and keeps and keeps, and keeps.

>

> 

>

> Even if the top goes moldy you can just scrape it off and below it is

fine.

>

> 

>

> Apple Butter

>

>      18 ea Apples                         1 1/2 c  Orange juice

>

>       2 ts Water                          1 1/2 ts Cinnamon

>

>       2 lb Brown Sugar                      1/2 ts Ground cloves

>

> 

>

> Peel and core apples, and cut into quarters.  Place in a 5 quart Dutch

oven,

> with 2 teaspoons of water.  Cover and simmer over low heat for 30

> minutes

or

> until apples are soft.  Stir apples once halfway through cooking

> process. Once the apples are soft puree them with a food processor, or

> use an electric hand blender right in the Dutch oven. Add orange

> juice, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves.  Simmer over low heat (about 90

> minutes), until mixture is thick.  Remove from heat and ladle into 4

> hot sterilized, pint, mason jars, apply lids and screw bands, and

> process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.  Be sure to stir

> frequently during the final simmering process.

>

> 

>

> This is not the Amish/Mennonite recipe, but it tastes pretty darn

> close.

I

> added the food processor/hand blender to modernize this older recipe. 

> You could just keep cooking them down and they will break down.

>

> 

>

> Later,

>

> Tom

>