Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Crab Apples! What to Do With Them?

We picked a lot of crab apples tonight and the big question seemed to be: what to do with them? They must have been a popular fruit at one point because so many yards have crab apple trees.

Lots and lots of crab apples.
Our volunteers Ethelda and Rebecca recalled eating them as children canned whole in syrup. Probably much like peaches or pears, but with a lot less prep time.


Of course, there are the old standbys: crab apple jelly - which I recall eating as a child - or crab apple sauce if you're feeling really ambitious.

Volunteers Stacey and Julie.
After a little looking, I came across an excellent idea: crab apple chutney! The same site also suggested roasting crab apples whole with cinnamon (probably akin to baked apples, but on a smaller scale). Or how about crab apple butter or crab apple cider sorbert?

Thank you again to the volunteers who came out to pick tonight - we certainly couldn't do it without you! 
It seems that there are all sorts of great ideas to be found for using up those crab apples! Tell us, what do you do with yours? We love hearing new ideas!

2 comments:

  1. Hey Shannon!
    wow, I love what your doing in Ytown!! I am inspired to get something similar going in this area next year... getting people together to pick, share, donate and put by fruit is just wondrous!!

    as for what to do with crab apples, I bought some crab apple fruit leather from a gal at the local farmer's market last week! Made from only crab apples, I am assuming in a dehydrator?

    Its tangy and delicious!

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  2. Thanks Erin! Nice to hear from you. I hope you do start something up, and then be sure to let us know so we can link up to each other!

    We ended up making crab apple fruit leather in our dehydrator too. It was so good.

    --S

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