Applesauce

Today I put up 10 pints of my favorite pink applesauce, which is a Martha Stewart recipe.

In Washington, our apple varieties are different than the ones Martha enjoys on the east coast, so I make the recipe with a beautiful red apple called Jonathon. I buy my apples from a local farmer. In turn, he works with a farmer in Yakima to bring those beautiful apples to our area. So, they are semi-local apples.

I will tell you a secret: I don't particularly love applesauce. I like the product I make, especially at Thanksgiving. When I remember to add it to a plate, I enjoy it. But I don't think about it, ever, and I definitely don't crave it.

Regardless, I'll be putting up quite a bit of applesauce while Jonathon apples are in season. Mostly because it's cheap to make, easy to process and store, and keeps for a whole year. It brightens up a plate instantly, especially in winter when good fresh fruit is scarce.  I have a billion recipes clipped to use and enjoy it in. And it's silly, but I feel a bit nostalgic about applesauce. It was served on my great Aunt Sarah's table every Sunday as I was growing up, so I remember her fondly when I experience applesauce.

For me, simplicity and frugality go hand in hand, and applesauce is a bridge to better living... I suppose. It is really pretty...

Do you have to work at certain things like this, even if you like them? Let me know in the comments!