Apple Butter

For apple butter, we cooked down five bushels of apples which we learned was the perfect amount to fill our kettle. We cooked the mixture longer and so it is a bit darker, sweeter and smoother. We also used a greater variety of apples this year: Winesap, Macintosh, Black Twig, Mutsu, Rome and Yellow Delicious.

We are grateful to friends and family who helped all day. Lia helped bring everyone apples to cut and peel.

Yuko and Stephanie, Gillian and Jeanne were my crew in the morning and at night! With lots of other helping hands along the way. Thanks also to Phil for cooking the brisket and peeling apples, Johnny for setting up the movie projector in the garage, Melissa for help with canning, my dad for all of his hard work before, during and after the party, my mom and countless others for stirring and jumping in here and there. There's no doubt that making apple butter is a lot of work and we couldn't do it with y'all.

Four steamers going at once to soften the apples

Grinding the apples with a variety of our preferred tools: kitchenaid grinder/strainer attachment for Jeanne, a chinois for Gillian and a hand crank food mill for me.

The best part is how it brings our family together and it's a great way to spend time together.