You pick every single crabapple you can reach from the branches hanging over the sidewalk (in our case that turned out to be 17lbs worth!!), and you turn them into....
JELLY!
Best buddy and I used this recipe and proceeded to
Wash, cook, smash, and strain (note the improvised jelly bag - yep, that's a pillow case)
our crabapples.
Once we had the juice we boiled it up as per the recipe with the appropriate amount of sugar, jarred it, processed it and were done.
It's delicious and for my first go at jelly making I'm really happy it all set. It's a little too hard set for me (I prefer jelly a little syrupy - this is like jello set). So next time I make it I think I'll boil it for less time.
Got a tree that you think is an edible apple but not sure? Cut the fruit along the equator and look for the 5 seed star formation.
3 comments:
Way to go! The jelly looks great and I love that you used 'found fruit' to make it. That's awesome! It looks like a fair bit of work, but fun and well worth it.
I haven't explored the world of canning yet, but this weekend I enjoyed harvesting herbs for drying, making pesto from basil, shredding and freezing a giant zucchini, and collecting plantain seeds from the lawn.
Ooh, this is exciting... I have a crabapple tree in my yard and now I have something to do with it! Unfortunately it only blooms every other summer... and the next time will be 2010...
I never knew crabapples could be used for anything other than feeding the birds! I have not so fond memories of being roped into helping my friend rake up tons of fallen crabapples one autumn when I was young! Now I'm seeing them in a whole different light... : )
Kif aka Urban Girl
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