The apples are falling from the trees and it's a shame to let them go to waste. There's a few things I like to try and do when there are apples on the ground. Pure apple juice is delicious, whether you use a centrifugal juicer or a mechanical one. It's worth doing a litre at a time and sipping at it through the day. It's almost instant and a real treat for everyone in the house.
Another option is to collect a basketful and make a simple apple crumble. Just cut the apples into slices, perhaps pour a tablespoon of fruit juice, lemon, or water over the apples, you could throw in three cloves and a pinch of mixed spice or cinnamon. In a bowl mix some porridge oats, raisins, a tablespoon of sugar and some seeds such as pumpkin and sunflower, some nuts if you like them too. Stir in 50g of melted butter to moisten the crumble mix. Pour this over the apples and sprinkle a spoon of dark sugar over the top and pop it in the oven for roughly 40 minutes at 180C.
Last but not least is the long term option to juice the apples and instead of drinking it instantly pour it into a sterilised demijohn with a spoon of cider yeast. I tried making my cider without adding yeast, relying on wild yeasts to flourish but alas it all went wrong and blue mould took hold. Next time I'll definitely use a commercial yeast to ensure it takes hold before anything else gets a chance. I have an e-booklet about brewing country wines if you'd like to give it a try, it's really quite simple and not expensive to get started (see store top right hand corner).
If you keep pigs they will devour any windfall apples with great glee. Or you could keep your apples for eating over winter by storing them in a cool room. They need checking every week because as they so rightly say, 'one bad apple spoils the bunch'! If you can pilfer some of those paper trays from your local vegetable shop they are ideal for stacking and storing apples.
I love the sound of your crumble mix, must give it a try. Do you not bottle any of your fruit, so easy and satisfying to do.
Posted by: Anne Wilson | August 26, 2011 at 05:55 PM
I'm seriously considering the pigs option.
Posted by: Lou | August 26, 2011 at 08:35 PM
This brings back childhood memories. My dad used to make cider with the windfalls and we would steal a bottle or two and sneak off with it. I remember it tasted horrid as it probably wasn't ready to drink but we used to get very drunk and have to go home trying to act sober.
Posted by: Weber | August 29, 2011 at 01:22 PM
I'm just back from holidays and will be going out looking for apples with a friend very soon. Someone started a website here where people can post up if they have a fruit tree or bush of some kind that they don't manage to get to themselves (especially useful for some elderly people who just can't keep up but hate to see the fruit going to waste). Or sometimes people post up about trees on public land they know about. So myself and my friend are going to go hunting and then I'll pull out the steam juicer I bought on ebay a few months ago and it'll be jars and jars full of lovely, pasteurised juice to keep me going until christmas. Yum!
Posted by: Moonwaves | September 03, 2011 at 01:18 PM
No I don't bottle any, we just eat the glut when the fruit arrives and don't seem to have any leftovers. I actually haven't looked into how to doing it, although I have made pickles and chutneys with veggies.
Pigs rock, but are a big commitment.
The childhood memories made me chuckle!
Moonwaves, that website is a brilliant idea. Although I wouldn't want hoards of people turning up at the local damsen tree, is that selfish?!
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