A Comforting Apple Crisp

I am turning today to one of my favorite fall comfort foods - my annual apple crisp.

Each year it's a little different.  And, it's Weight Watchers friendly, so if you decide to try this recipe, please be warned that it is not the usual apple crisp you are used to, with butter and lots of sweetness.

Let's give it a try.

Fruit Crisp (9 inch square pan, serves 9)

1 1/2 pounds baking apples (I used Cortland)

3 Asian Pears (sometimes called "apple pears", but you can use regular pears if you wish.  I had Asian pears on hand).

1 tbsp raw sugar/stevia blend (or 2 tbsp white sugar) or to taste

2 tsp lemon juice

Method

Peel and slice cored apples. Add the sugar or sugar/stevia blend and mix well.  Add the lemon juice.  Mix all ingredients together. 

 Place in a 9 inch square baking dish that has been oiled or buttered.

Top with topping.  Again, please keep in mind this is an adaptation of a low-cal topping.  It may not suit you.

Topping

1 cup quick oats

1/4 cup brown sugar, unpacked

2 tbsp light Olivio spread

1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix topping together and top.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or until the apple slices are the consistency you want (the pears may not soften as quickly).  Let cool, unless you can't wait to eat it.

The original recipe says you can leave peels on.  We peeled the pears but not the apples.  I think the apples should also have been peeled.

But oh, sniffing that cinnamon when it was baking.  Yum!

And yes, I'll make it more than once.

I like to serve warm.

Comfort food.  Ahhh...

Do you have a favorite fall season comfort food?

The Not So Ugly Apple Honey Cake

It's time for reflection, apples, and honey.

It is Rosh Hashanah 5784, the first full day of the Jewish New Year - the year 5784 on our religious calendar.  This time is both festive and serious, as we undergo our annual review from Above and reflect on our behavior of the past year/seek forgiveness from those we have wronged/plan for how we can improve and better the world in the coming year.

As far as food, we celebrate with sweet and symbolic dishes.  Apples and honey are prominent in many households.  Last night, my spouse cooked a brisket with apple juice, potatoes and carrots.  For dessert, we had apple honey cake.

It's been a long journey.

When I was young, my Mom served a honey cake for Rosh Hashana that I did not like.  When I was an older teen and became interested in baking, I embarked on an odyssey to find a recipe for a honey cake I liked.

One of the challenges was that so many of the recipes made two loaves of honey cake.  By then, my Mom had passed away and it was just my father and me.  My Dad was diabetic and couldn't eat cake (that was back in the 1960's, when diabetic diets were different) so it was just me.  I put my quest on the back burner for years.

In my later adult years, I returned to the quest.  Although it's a large cake for one or two, I finally found the honey cake of my dreams.

Each year I make an apple honey cake, from a recipe I adapted from the excellent recipe published years ago by Tory Avery.  My cake most likely isn't as good as hers, because I cut down on the oil (thanks to Weight Watchers, which I've been a member of since 2012 with one short break).  Also, I don't put icing on it - I've never been a fan of icing.

It's a joint effort - my spouse shreds the apples and also takes care of removing the cake from the oven.

Getting the apples we wanted was a journey.  We live in an apple growing area and like to use a locally grown baking apple (at this time of year, our plan was Cortland apples).  But the apple crop failed this year due to a late frost- one local grower lost 80% of his crop.  We ended up using supermarket Ginger Gold apples.

The cake's top fell apart when spouse tried to remove it from the pan.  

This definitely isn't a baking blog picture.  To you, it may be an ugly apple honey cake.  I disagree.

To me, it is beautiful personal tradition. 

None of us is perfect.  We can strive for a better coming year.  

May life for you in the coming year be as sweet as this slice of cake.

To my blog readers of the Jewish faith, Shanah tova (good year).

Apple Pear Crisp Recipe

Every year, I seem to blog about apple crisp.  It's a favorite dessert for me to make.  My crisp recipes are lower in calories than many, as I've been a lifetime member of Weight Watchers for several years now.

We are fortunate as we live in an apple growing region.  Here in the Binghamton, New York area, we can purchase heirlooms such as Northern Spy, a wonderful baking apple. 

This year, the pears in the farm stands were so good we decided to mix pears in.

There are many more apple varieties in the farm stands than you can find in your average supermarket.  Many of the older varieties don't ship well, or don't keep well, or don't bear reliably year after year.  But if you can find them, they are worth the effort.

When you do buy an apple, you must ask yourself:  How do you intend to use your apple?

Fresh eating?  My favorites are Honey Crisp, SweeTango, Snapdragon, Autumn Crisp.  Yes, the newer varieties.  If heirlooms were easily available for me, I'd also recommend russets (brown skins).
For baking, my favorite is Northern Spy but you can also try Rome, Jonathan, Jonagold, and Cortland.  There are also dual use apples out there for both baking and fresh eating.

Now, onward to the recipe.

Apple/Pear Crisp (9 inch square pan, serves 9) for People Wanting a Lower Calorie Version

4 large baking apples

1/2 tbsp stevia/sugar blend (or brown sugar, to taste)

2 tsp lemon juice

2 Bartlett pears - you can also use one Asian pear.

Peel and slice cored apples and pears. Mix all ingredients above together.  Place in a 9 inch square baking dish that has been oiled or buttered.

Top with topping.  Keep in mind this is an adaptation of a low-cal topping.  It may not suit you.

Topping (if you aren't watching your weight, this may not be a favorite for you)

1 cup quick oats
1/4 cup unpacked brown sugar
2 tbsp light butter blend such as Olivio Light
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix topping ingredients together and top the apple/pear blend.

Bake at 350-375 degrees for about 50 minutes or until the apple slices are the consistency you want.  

Of course, I didn't think of taking a picture until the next day.

 Let cool, unless you can't wait to eat it. 

I recommend you serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

The Traditional Honey Cake

Tomorrow, at sundown, starts Rosh Hashanah for the Jewish people. a day that commemorates the creation of the world.

In many Jewish families, it is traditional to eat apples and honey.  For the past several years, I have made an apple honey cake from Tori Avery.

I make some modifications that work for me (as someone who has been following Weight Watchers for nearly 10 years) and these work for me:

White whole wheat flour rather than white flour

instead of 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of raw sugar/stevia blend

half as much oil (although you might not want to do this).

The 2022 cake, baked ahead of time

Also, I don't put on the glaze, which I would leave off even if I wasn't on Weight Watchers.  Even as a child, I didn't like glaze.

Finally, my preference, I use local buckwheat honey, which is about the darkest honey that is sold locally.   I also use local apples instead of the Granny Smiths she calls for - this year, I chose Cortlands.

On Tori Avery's website there is also a discussion on making this cake gluten free.

However you do it, I highly recommend this cake. 

I can't wait to eat it!

Apples on a Coldish Day

When I woke up this morning, I had gained an hour, and lost an operating heating system.

So what do you do, besides calling a repairman?

You bundle up (easy when you live in a cold climate and have lots of sweaters on hand) and decide on something hot to make.

Apples came immediately to mind.   When a local stand had closed up at the end of October, they had apples at half price, and we bought some.

Once you can enjoy the bounty of many varieties rarely found in supermarkets, you find out something completely different.  Each apple has its own characteristics.  Not only that, but it seems that new apple varieties come out every year.

Here are some old favorites - 20 ounce.

Crispin.

Northern spy, my favorite for baking.

At one time, I would have told you my favorite eating apple was the Empire.  That was replaced by the Honeycrisp.  Now, I have a new favorite - from Minnesota, the SweeTango^® .  I can't say enough good things about the SweeTango - not only is it juicy and crisp, but it is pre-spiced.  Yes, when you eat it there is a hint of spice - cinnamon, perhaps? There is definitely something, in the flesh, that's a hint of spice.  What a wonderful eating apple it is. 

If you are getting ready to purchase apples, I recommend you pay attention to the various apple varieties available to you.  Even in the supermarket, you should be able to find what you want. 

This made me think of a recipe I seem to remember from the original 1972 Weight Watchers program and cookbook. (I should add, thank heavens for the changes made in the program since then!)

All you do is wash and core a couple of apples. Put in a pan, then pour some diet soda down the core holes.  Bake at 350 or 375 degrees, depending on the apple size,  for about 45 minutes.  Having the oven on will help heat the kitchen area.

If you want some poetry to accompany your apples, I found a wonderful poem (thank you to this blogger) by the late Mary Oliver - just follow this link.

Here's a quick and easy applesauce - so easy that even I can make it. 

That should warm us up some more.

When spouse or i make applesauce, we break all the rules - it's a wonderful way to use up excess apples (if I bought too many) no matter what type of apple it is.

Or apples you buy at half price.

Now excuse me, while I wait for the repairman.

What is the Best Part of Fall?

What is the best part of fall? Thanksgiving? (which my Canadian readers celebrated yesterday. Ours comes in November.)

October 2013

Is it the foliage?  Our foliage really hasn't kicked in yet, so here's foliage from a previous year.

Gourds for decorating?

 Brussel sprouts?  (no for me; others love them).

Also from October 2013

Some think it's pumpkins.  Some think it's winter squash.  I think it's the apples. 

Eating, baking, made into cider, however you want to enjoy an apple, I'm there.  Pears are nice, too, especially Asian ("apple") pears.  The ones this year are wonderful.

Every year, I post an apple crisp recipe, so I hope you don't mind me posting it once again.

Apple/Pear Crisp (9 inch square pan, serves 9)

2 pounds baking apples (I used Crispins this year, a heirloom apple grown locally, when I made this recently).  

1 lb (about two) large Asian apple pears.  If you don't like pears, just use more apples.

4 tbsp brown sugar or 1 tbsp stevia/raw sugar blend (I used the latter)

2 tsp lemon juice 

 1 cup frozen blackberries (I don't thaw them).

 Sorry, my dear metric readers, you are on your own here.

 Anyway, back to the recipe:

Apple pear is the bottom fruit - Crispin apple on top

 

Method
Peel and slice cored apples and (if you use them), pears. Mix all ingredients together.  Place in a 9 inch square baking dish that has been oiled or buttered.

For the topping, I use this recipe, which is an adaptation of a low-cal topping.  If you prefer, substitute your own topping.  This really doesn't make enough for my taste, but I do need to watch my weight.

Topping

1 cup quick oats
4 tbsp brown sugar
4 tbsp light butter - I use fake butter, I admit it - Olivio light blend. It's soft and easy to blend with.
1/2 tsp freshly ground cinnamon or allspice (this year, I used allspice).
1 tsp vanilla

For the topping, just mix everything together and top the uncooked crisp.  

Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or until the apple slices are the consistency you want.   Cool and serve.

So good! 

What's your favorite part of fall (if there is a fall in your climate) where you live?

Winter Squash and Apples Arriving (With Links to Recipes)

We creep closer to fall.  The days get shorter.  

Local apples and winter squash arrive at farmstands.  Today, I want to blog about both.

We have just the right climate for winter squash here, and have a bounty of squash types.  One university about an hour from here, Cornell University, has developed a number of new varieties.  One, Honeynut, a small extra sweet butternut, I've blogged about before.  It's amazing and it's about the only winter squash we eat anymore.  My link earlier in the paragraph contains a recipe.

This year, we found another new squash, called Koginut.  Well, Robin's Koginut. The description says only it's a cross between two other winter squashes and I have to think one is Honey nut.  The other - ?

Honey nut (left) and Koginut (right)

We cooked a koginut and it isn't as sweet as honey nut, but was still good.

Now for apples...

Monday, the Jewish New Year begins at sunset, just in time for local apples and fall honey.  That means it is time to make my version of an amazing apple honey cake.  The original recipe can be found here.

My modified version can be found here.   I will be making it once again.

There are several reasons why I modified the cake the way I did.  First, believe it or not, I do not like confectioner's sugar/liquid type icing.  Even as a child, I would pass up cinnamon rolls and yeast cakes because I never liked the icing drizzled on them.  I can't explain why.  I still don't like it.  So my version does not have icing.  If you want icing, click the link above.

Second, I've started to use coconut oil more and more as a substitute for oil in my baking   I've never made this cake with anything but coconut oil, and I love it.

Third, instead of the original Granny Smith apples, I prefer tart, local apples.  I'm fortunate to live in New York apple country and there is an abundance of cooking apples grown here.  For Thanksgiving, I make this with  local Northern Spy apples.  Tomorrow I will make it with local apples I bought a couple of weeks ago and I can't quite remember the variety name.

It is so good.  

And best of all, you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy it.

Just a lover of apples and honey. 

Do you have a favorite food of fall? 

Winds Floods and Raspberry Applesauce

The weather is not being kind to us, or to many people in the United States.

In the Northeast United States, our trials are due to excessive rain and wind. Wednesday night was bad. More rain followed.   Sunday night we had even more rain, flash flood warnings and, a bit after 10 pm, a state of emergency was declared overnight.

I wish we could send that rain to the West Coast.  We've had more than enough for now.

 Here's a couple of pictures to show some of what's happening here.  These first two pictures are the aftermath of our Wednesday wind and rain storm.

Over the weekend, I posted a picture of a tree with red wood.  I was able to get closer to the tree on Sunday after I posted.  I don't think the actual wood is red, but what you are seeing is the layer between the bark and wood.

An uprooted tree shows the power of Nature.

But enough of this (and no, I wasn't going out in the middle of the night to photograph flash floods.  It's time to go raspberry picking and then make some raspberry applesauce.

Red raspberries are not a big U-Pick crop where I live in the Southern Tier of New York, unlike apples and blueberries.  The season is short - very short - because raspberries are fragile, and will mold right up if the weather is rainy.  And, oh yes, did I mention the thorns?  You've got to be careful.  Every rose, it is said, has its thorn, and the same is true for the delicious red raspberry.  Ouch.

But you can't beat fresh raspberries.

Now, about the rain and mold.

That is exactly what happened this year. The picking season is only a week or so old, and it may almost be over (per the farmer I talked to). 

Saturday, spouse and I, along with possibly every other person who enjoys raspberry picking in this area, descended on the same U Pick farm to gather raspberries while we had a break in our rainy weather.

We picked about three pounds, and immediately froze them.  We were afraid they would mold up even overnight in the fridge.

Back in 2016, I posted some raspberry recipes.  Today, I want to revisit raspberry applesauce.  It's basically apples cooked and then mixed with sieved raspberries.  Some years (like last year) we don't get the chance to pick raspberries so we weren't going to wait until apple season in the fall.  We had four large Gala apples in the fridge, so decided, since it was raining on Sunday, to spend some time making the apples. 

The ingredients are simple - raspberries (frozen are fine), cooking or all purpose apples, sugar.  We didn't weigh the apples or measure the raspberries, so the ratio of apples to raspberries is up to you.

 Defrost and heat the raspberries.  (Don't add any water).

While you are doing this, peel, core and chunk up your apples.  Put the apples in a separate saucepan and add some water, just (for these four apples) 1/4 cup.  Don't worry if any peel is left on.   Cook on low heat 20-30 minutes.  While the apples cook, take raspberries off the heat and let them cool some.

Mash up the apples with a potato masher. 

Now comes the hardest part.  Unless you want your applesauce full of raspberry seeds, you will have to strain the raspberries.

This is how spouse does it.  Add the seedless raspberry puree to the applesauce.

Keep chunky or smooth.  Spouse used a portable hand held blender to puree the mixture.  Then, taste and add sugar to taste.  

You are done!

If you can't use it right away, you will want to freeze.  Spouse freezes this in quart freezer bags so they can lie flat.  Don't forget to label with name of the food and the date prepared.

And, oh, the farmer we talked to as he weighed our purchase?  It's a gamble, he said. (This U Pick operation actually concentrates on apples.  They are famous for their raspberry applesauce and I suspect that's why they grow the raspberries.)  They've been growing raspberries for over 10 years now.  They used to grow strawberries, but gave up last year.  Sweet cherries were also something they gave up - cherries do well along the Finger Lakes, but not where we live.

He shrugged when we asked him if they would have more picking dates.  Not before midweek, he said, if at all.  But it's all part of farming, he continued.

Thank heavens for our farmers and their perseverance through winds, floods and more.

Apple Time with a Recipe #ThursdayTreeLove

It's apple harvest season where I live in the Northeast United States.

Yesterday, I visited several suburbs of Syracuse, New York, including LaFayette, a major apple growing town in our state. 

I was hoping so I could bring you pictures of an apple orchard which is one of the nation's finest (in my humble opinion) but it was so crowded (yes, it's outside, and we would be wearing masks, but still) we decided not to park and investigate it.

I'll have to content myself with a picture taken from the car of an orchard near nearby Nedrow, New York.  These trees are dwarf trees, which are dwarfed by being grafted onto certain rootstock.

Some of those participating in #ThursdayTreeLove live in tropical or subtropical areas of our world, and grow fruits (such as mangoes) we can't.  But our climate is perfect for other fruits, including the apple.  Some of the varieties we can get locally, in fact, aren't found in the average American supermarket.

Here's a closeup of an apple tree from back in August.  These apples are green and not ripe yet.  When ripe, many apples turn red, but some will still have green or yellowish green skins.

One is Ginger Gold, a yellow-green apple being harvested where I live now.  This apple was found growing near a Golden Delicious apple in Virginia during the 1960's and now is cultivated as its own variety.  It is good both for eating and baking (but better for baking, I think).  

Many apples excel in one or the other (either good for fresh eating or baking).  My favorite baking apple won't be ready for a few more weeks, though.

Want to make some delicious applesauce?  Here's my no-fail recipe for Lazy Applesauce.

Joining up with Parul for #ThursdayTreeLove.  Why not check out the trees bloggers from around the world are posting today?

Come to the Ithaca Apple Tree #ThursdayTreeLove

Today is Thanksgiving where I live, in the United States.

The turkey will be in the oven soon.  The cranberry sauce, the pumpkin pie and the apple crisp are done.  Soon, the air of my house will be fragrant with cooking scents.

It's all because of trees.  I am so grateful today for the trees that provide food, shelter, firewood and more for us humans.

Our fall season has mostly ended, and there's no snow on the ground right now, so I thought I would give my readers a different treat.

An apple tree.

This one is located in Ithaca, New York, about an hour from where I live in upstate New York in the Northeastern United States.  I took this picture in October.  Our area is an apple growing area, and we are fortunate enough to have many varieties to choose from.  I don't know which variety this one is, except it obviously ripens in October.

Here's a closeup of the apples.

It may surprise you to learn that apples come in various colors - besides the common (in this country) red ones, there are green ones (green when ripe, I mean) and even ones with brown skin (called russets).

I am grateful for the bounty of the season, and I am grateful for Parul and her #ThursdayTreeLove, and all of my blogging friends from all over the world who participate in the various blog hopes I participate in - Music Moves Me, Skywatch Friday, and several Wordless Wednesdays.

I am also grateful for those in several Facebook groups I belong to for music, nostalgia, crochet, and more.

Love trees?  Why not click on the link to Parul's post and visit and comment on these bloggers of tree love?  The next Tree Love post will be the 2nd Thursday in December.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my dear readers.

Baking and Repairing

In just a couple of hours, it will be the year 5780 in the Jewish calendar, and the High Holy Days will begin.  We start at sundown tonight with Rosh Hashanah and end 10 days later with Yom Kippur.

Where I live, it has been an almost perfect day, with temperatures in the 70's and low humidity.  My last large yellow daylily flower has unfolded - unbelievable that it it still blooming this late in the year.

I prepared to bake an apple honey cake for Rosh Hashanah, using local bamboo honey and eggs.

But there is also a lot of sadness.

During the year 5779, my mother in law passed away, along with the wife of one of my cousins and one of my husband's cousins.  Someone at my job was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer that has a high mortality rate.  I went on vacation and he was rushed into surgery because of a serious physical issue caused by the chemo he is undergoing.  A couple of my cousins are going through hard times, physically.  The saying "aging is not for sissies" is a true one.

So what.

I am here.

I am healthy.

The world is waiting for my next move.

It's time to bake that cake.

One thing at a time.

It's time to help repair the world.

Local Saturday - A Taste of Apple and Honey

It's time to bake my annual apple honey cake, courtesy of Tori Avey.

Tomorrow at sundown begin the Jewish New Year observances (further explained in Tori Avey's blog post I've linked to above, and here).  There are traditional foods we eat, include apples and honey.  The honey symbolizes the sweetness of the New Year.

The apple symbolizes the Garden of Eden and also our love for the Creator.

Today, I celebrate apples.  I'm fortunate enough to live in an apple growing area.

Until you taste apples side by side, you don't realize how they differ in texture, sweetness, mouthfeel, crispyness and more.  There are apples for eating, apples for cooking, and all purpose apples.  Some apples have great storage qualities.

For my apple cake, I selected Pippins and Zestar.   And then, fate intervened - someone, apparently, tried to hack into my email account, and I had to change my password on all my devices.  That, and other shopping I did today, also left me a bit behind on what I needed to do today.

For the honey, it will be local buckwheat honey from a couple of hours away.  It's a dark honey and full of flavor.

So instead of tonight, I'll be making it tomorrow (with some minor changes from Tori Avey's recipe, including not adding the glaze topping, as I don't like those kinds of toppings.)

And, as far as the self reflection required as part of this time of year, I will be joining in on the Ultimate Blog Challenge on Tuesday.  I have decisions about where my life will go in the coming year, and how I can best serve humanity and our planet Earth.

But first, some apple cake is in order.

Sustainable Saturday - Apple Syrup from Peelings and Cores

I'm embarrassed (well, just a little). I promised you this recipe in my recent post for Lazy Applesauce.  Here's the background story:

Last month, my sister in law traveled from her home to say goodbye to her dying mother.  While she stayed with us, she helped me make an apple crisp.  There were peels and cores left over from her efforts, and I decided not (for once) to throw them away or compost them.

Recently, my spouse had gotten a book out of the library called "Cooking with Scraps:  Turn Your Peels, Cores, Rinds, and Stems into Delicious Meals".  The author is Lindsay-Jean Hard.  This is very much a modern cookbook, yet celebrates the old time virtues of "waste not, want not."

My sister in law is a firm believer in this concept, and decided, after helping with the crisp, that she wanted to do something with the peels and cores.  She had browsed the book and had an idea.

So here's the problem - I can't remember exactly what she did - because, true confession time, I had a stomach bug.  So all I can do is "sort of" tell you what she did.  (I could have asked her, yes, but that would have been too easy.)

My sister in law took the peels and scraps of five large apples, and cooked them with some sugar. (Spouse thinks it was about a cup - it was less than what the recipe called for.)

They were strained out.  The syrup was then cooked some more to reduce.

The finished (and delicious) syrup.  Cinnamon and/or cloves would be a nice additional touch.

I went ahead and found this recipe online - I hope it produces a similar result.

Incidentally, I browsed the "Cooking with Scraps" book and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves to cook and loves the concept of reducing food waste.

Lazy Applesauce

Apples will get me into the kitchen, a place which rarely feels my footsteps.

On a cool fall day, what better thing is there than to make applesauce?  Especially when Hanukkah is drawing near.  And now that it is here, you need applesauce more than ever, right?

Since I am a lazy cook, here is a recipe for lazy applesauce.

You need several pounds of cooking apples.  But they don't have to be cooking apples.  I've used Gala and even Honeycrisp.

Be aware, some apples will produce a grainy applesauce.  Macouns and MacIntosh will make a nice, smooth sauce.  I like mine a little chunky.  Cortlands and Pippins, if you can get them, will make a chunkier sauce.  The harder the apple flesh, the grainier.  Tartness is a personal preference.

So: take your favorite apples.  Wash them.

Core the apples.  Cut into pieces, perhaps 8 pieces per apple.  Peeling is optional.  Put the apples in a pot.  Add about 3/4 of a cup of water, or, if you have it, apple juice or apple cider.  If you want sugar, use brown sugar. 

Cook the apples under medium low heat  until they are ready to be mashed with an apple masher, perhaps 25 minutes.  Add cinnamon or cloves to taste.  Let the aroma float through your house.  Savor the aroma.  It's time for comfort food.  Puree it if you like.  I don't.  I'm lazy.

Some people add butter.  I do not.

One thing I've done in recent years is add raspberries to the sauce.  We weren't able to pick raspberries last year, but had the chance to pick raspberries last year and still had some in the freezer.

If you do, just be sure to strain all those small seeds out.

My Mom used to make applesauce with cinnamon candies, which dyed the sauce red.  It's a wonderful memory for me.  In turn, I made applesauce with my young son, years ago. He's graduated to peppery hot sauce now. He even grows his own jalapeños for it.

Serve your applesauce, fragrant with the scents of autumn, warm.  Or cold.  Serve with potato pancakes (as spouse did on the first day of applesauce).  Or, just eat it as is.

One final thought - remember those cores and peels (if you peeled your apples?)  You don't want to throw them out.  On Saturday, I plan to give you a recipe that will use them.

Do you like applesauce?  How do you make it?