BEYOND APPLESAUCE
Many
people know how to make applesauce, you wash the apples, core them, slice them a
bit, put in a pot with water barely covering the bottom, simmer til really
really soft, then run all of it thru a food mill......what comes out of the food
mill is the "sauce", but, what do you do with the stuff IN the food mill? Most
people put it into the compost pile.......but..I have another idea for those
that like to make gifts to give, or keep.....and it is something no one else
will have ! Or make, but YOU!
APPLE POMANDERS
Wash
your apples, pull the stems, core, and cut up, as you would for making
applesauce..because you NEED to make the applesauce to make these! Once you have
run the cooked apples thru the food mill, DO NOT THROW AWAY THE PULP IN THE TOP
OF THE FOOD MILL!!! Put the pulp in a bowl, and put in the fridge, if you are
still making more applesauce.....any amount of apples is ok...this is a very
loose recipe..you make with what you have....I will give you a "for instance",
so you can figure how to do the spice amounts, etc.....
When
you are done "saucing", you can store the apple pulp in the fridge, covered, for
about 2 days...if you have to do the canning and other things.....
Take the pulp out of the fridge, and put in a large strainer and allow to drain
for about an hour....you want it as dry as possible pulp.
4
c drained pulp, stir in a heaping T ground cloves, 1 T ground nutmeg, 2 t ground
ginger, 3 T ground, or powdered orris root ( you can find this at most health
food stores, some pharmacies, and can be ordered on-line also, from Frontier
Herbs). Mix well.
Now the fun begins....get your hands in the pulp and shape into 2 "
balls.....about the size of a black walnut...make them as tight as you can- they
will shrink.
Mix
in a bowl: 6 T orris root, 1/2 c EACH, of ground cinnamon and ground
cloves.
Roll
the 2" apple pulp balls in this mixture, covering well.
This
makes between 50-55 balls.
NOW,
you say...what do I do with them!!!!! For people with small spaces, get a shoe
box, 2 shoe boxes, and line with with tissue paper, even up the sides a bit,
place the balls in there...leave a space between them......when you have them
all in the boxes, the remaining spice mix you rolled them in? sprinkle it ALL,
over all the balls.....use it all up.....set the boxes in a place that gets very
little light...I have used under the bed before! Now...EVERY DAY.........turn
your balls, and roll them a bit in any of the spices in the tissue...put them
back, and keep repeating this every day...until they are firmly dried and fairly
hard...could take 2 months.....usually around November, they are ready and I
wrap them for gifts.
If
you have more room, take an old screen....for a small window, place white tissue
paper over all of it, lay the balls on it, and sprinkle the remaining spices
evenly over, and do the same thing, turn them everyday..keep out of the
light....They will look a little funky at first..maybe the first week...but stay
faithful! They DO dry, they do not mold or mildew........For gifts, I wrap 2-3
in a small bag. You can use them loose in your drawers , for linens, or towels,
or the unmentionables!!! I sometimes hang the bags on the clothes hanger in the
closet...for winter or summer clothes...they are great in a cedar
chest.....
For
those wondering..Orris Root has a slight violet scent..but it actually is used
for "holding" the scent of something..in this case...cinnamon, cloves....it is
known as a fixative.
SMALLER PULP RECIPE
I
did the math for you! Every year is so different..so here are some
figures:
1 c pulp
1/4 T cloves
1/4 T cinnamon
1/4 T nutmeg
1/2
T orris root
1/2
t ginger
SPICE MIX TO ROLL IN:
1.5 T orris root
1/8 c cloves
2 c pulp
1/2 T cloves
1/2 T nutmeg
1 t ginger
1 1/2 T orris root
SPICE
MIX TO ROLL IN
3
T orris root
1/4
c each, cinnamon and cloves
Now..there
are some that do not make applesauce but would really like to make these....go
buy a jar of applesauce!!! Try to get unsweetened, and not chunky......put the
store bought applesauce in a colander and let drain...yes, there is still water
in it.....when you are certain it is "dry", proceed to make the pomanders the
way written, above..you will get the similar product...this way is a more smooth
ball, the pulp will be a bit more organic in looks....because of the
peels.
It
is important to remember to rotate them each day..just takes a few seconds to
do....so they dry on all sides and thru and thru.......
There
are lots of ideas for using these..tie them in color squares and hang on the
Christmas tree...use them at Thanksgiving in a bowl, tie them in orange and
yellow squares....I have used organdy bags, cotton cloth bags, squares of
holiday fabric and tied with a ribbon...The point is...you are making a useful
item for a waste product!! And you can use up bits and pieces of ribbon,
fabric....so nothing is really a "waste"! I love making these every year.......I
do for sure one batch a year...if I have time I do a second one......they will
last many years in the drawers...or hanging in the cupboards.....when you tire
of them...compost them!
f'
16 comments:
Good Morning,
Sue Ann has some great ideas for us this morning. Hope you enjoy it.
Another beautiifull day. In the 70's.
Marilyn
I never heard of Apple Pomanders, but it sounds like a fun thing to try. I don't have a food mill so I peel my apples, or I should say that I have an apple peeler that slices, cores and peels at the same time. Can I take the peels and cook them until soft then proceed as you have written?
Doreen
Ok..good question! I have the same apple peeler!! so, you do your applesauce without the peels and cores.....some do it that way....Ok..yes..you can put all your peels and cores...minus the stems, as they are hard to "roll"! And as few seeds as possible, as the seeds are also hard to roll into the balls. I have made it before with seeds, when I forgot to remove them! And they made up fine, just a little more "rolling" to get them incorporated into the pulp. when you cook your peels and cores, use just enough water to cover the bottom of the pot, and a TEENY bit into the peels...they cook down really well...and be sure to drain the pulp, as usual. And, you can still store it for a few days in the fridge...sometimes I get it cooked down, but have other things to do....so I wait a day or so, when I have more time and can enjoy making them..they are fun! I have also made them many times without the orris root... it just is nice if you have it...to extend the scent longer......I have even had some that were a few years old..still smelling of cloves and cinnamon! And I use a few drops of essential oil on each...for a different scent...rose, lavender. The neat thing is, you have this great base to work with!!! And anything can be done to it...before you make the balls, after they dry....and it goes quick, the first few you make..you will see what you need to do..a lot like making cookies!!
Hi Sue Ann,
What is a food mill? When I make apple sauce, I peel them, core them, put them in the crock pot and cook them. I didn't know you were suppose to put them through a food mill after they were cooked. I am doing something wrong, then. I am confused.
Marilyn
Hi Marilyn-
Some call it a "ricer", but that is actually a different tool..but a food mill is a big silver sieve with a handle, and it has a handle with a smooth blade attached to it, you put that handled blade into a hole in the middle of the sieve, attach it on the bottom with a screw that has a thin wire attached to it, you hold the one handle(on the sieve) with one hand and turn the other handle with the blade, with the other hand. It smooshes any food you have in it, and what comes out the bottom of the mill, is the "sauce".
Now I can see why you peel them and core them! That is a lot of work......food mills are relatively cheap...no more than 10 dollars.....it is a good investment..as you can run tomatoes thru it too...and any other foods you want to be smooth....
Doreen, I was thinking...when you cook your peels and cores...you want a texture like paper pulp...so, after you cook them down and they are as soft as you can get them, if you have a blender, let the peels cool, and use the blender to make a pulp. I don't think they will pulp up on their own in the pot....when the skins go thru a food mill, they are really really soft, or almost non- descript, so I think the blender would be your next step.
Google "foley food mill"- I found tons of pics..but cannot seem to get them transferred here.
Google "foley food mill"- I found tons of pics..but cannot seem to get them transferred here.
SueAnn, I thought about putting the peels in a blender after they're cooked soft. Thank you for letting me know that it's okay.
Doreen
Hi Sue Ann,
Thank you for explaining it to me. I will have to check them out. I never had one.
Marilyn
Just be sure..in the blender..you do need a certain amount of liquid....you may have to add some water...but , still let it drain in a colander, all day if need be...you can squeeze it with the back of a wooden spoon too..to help it along..
I want to add...these are not poisonous! I have a dog, I know many of you have little house animals too...and kids..they may not be all that tasty to anyone thinking it looks like a snack!!! LOL!! But will not kill them or make them sick!!!! These do a good job of keeping bugs away, in your sweater drawer, sock drawer, hang in with your winter clothes and coats......lay on your linen shelf, under towels, hand towels.....adds a sweetness to them.Much nicer to use than the strong smell of moth balls! Stick some in winter coat pockets.....I put some in mu hubby;s wool suit coat...and he tells me he is the sweetest smelling usher at
church!!!
This isn't my week. I was walking Pierre today and I fell on the brick sidewalk. Two of the bricks were damaged and I stepped into them. I tried to gain my balance, but I couldn't. I look like someone socked me in the mouth. Also, I have two bruised knees. My glasses have a scrape on them. I am calling the Village clerk's office tomorrow and telling them. Pierre was a good boy and stayed right beside me. I am glad I didn't fall on him.
My Mom use to say these things happen in threes. What is next?
Marilyn
Oh Marilyn! Well..it did happen in 3's- you were the 3 rd one! I slipped on some water in front of the fridge and thought I broke my ankle-did'nt! Just bruised, a friend slipped in the basement on some water and DID break the ankle! And now you! Get those bricks fixed!!! And band-aid and neosporin your scraped knees...!It helps with bruises too....wonder if the eye doc will sand the scrape off the lens for you? Glad Pierre stayed by you! And he is ok.....
Oh my gosh. You had a lot, too. My one knee has a bandage on it, the other one didn't bleed. I am going to take pictures of bricks and show them at the Village Clerk's office. I did break one of ankle's once, a long time ago. Pierre was just fine. I think it scared him though, poor baby.
Marilyn
Plying catch up, just finished canning my apple sauce today, 9 1/2 quarts. The peels we toss in the river and feed the fish ~~~did that today. Have never had a food mill, I wish I still had all those June apple peels. Marilyn, so sorry you fell, I fell about a month ago, the worst i have had in my life, bruises everywhere, and one 6 1/2" long, 1 1/2" wide all the way around my hip, it is still sore but the black color finally left. Hope you feel better quickly, hugs to your faithful friend Pierre.
Hi Annie,
You sure have been busy. I don't have a food mill, either. Your fall was terrible. My worse place is my jaw. That hurts the worse. I look bad, but don't really hurt except there. I sure will give Pierre hugs from you.
Marilyn
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