Apples

           While late January is always one of my favourite times of year- the promise of Spring is a faint yet persistent whisper in my ear- it does come with a modicum of sadness. You see every fall for the past few years my Father In Law has procured several boxes of apples for our little family from his friend the orchardist- I wrote about our apple picking adventure here a few years ago. This time of year- each time I reach into the wooden box out on our deck I can't help but notice the dwindling number of Okanagan goodness- yes it's true we are running out of apples!

           We are so spoiled by these crisp juicy delights- even in the "deep" of winter one can taste the Summer sunshine- if you close your eyes and stand in front of a heater while biting into one of these apples you will surely be transported back in time. Our family feasts liberally- apple sauce being a constant on our table- sliced apples grace the lunch boxes daily- apple cake is gobbled up regularly.

          Apple sauce is quite frankly the easiest ting on earth to make- why people buy it at the store has always confounded me- so I thought today I would share one of our family's favourite treats! Like I said it's ever so easy- all you need is about five apples and some cinnamon- OK well I also add in nutmeg and ginger- so yummy!

           To make apple sauce gather together your ingredients-5-6 apples- cinnamon- nutmeg- ginger- as well as a large sauce pot and about a half a cup of water. Peel apples and dice them into generally even cubes- about and inch square- throw diced apples and a few healthy shakes of spices- about a teaspoon combined- into the sauce pot along with the half cup of water. Place covered on stove at medium heat- cook for about twenty minutes- carefully test firmness of apples with a fork- once mushy the mixture is ready. Remove from stove and allow to cool- with a potato masher gently mash the cooked apples into sauce. We like ours a little chunky so I don't tend to over mash it.

       If you are making apple sauce for a new eater you can omit the spices and also run the sauce through a sieve for a more consistent texture

        On a chilly afternoon after school nothing is better than walking in the door to simmering apple sauce- trust me when I say your home will smell amazing! Just a hint because the apples will be pealed- appearance is not all that important- ask your grocer for seconds or damaged apples- fruit that is past it's peak is perfect for this dish- be sure to ask for a discount! Enjoy!

 PS- while I know apple sauce is such a basic thing I find it really is an underrated snack- perfect as a topping on oatmeal or all on it's own. When we make foods like this from scratch we eliminate the middle man- we eliminate the plastic lining on a metal lid going into a landfill from a store bought jar- we eliminate in fact the use of a new jar all together- the energy that went into producing the packaging. The simple act of making apple sauce in fact has multiple benefits to the planet! Be sure to take a re-usable produce bag when purchasing your apples- try to compost your peels or use them for apple cider vinegar! All the small steps we take towards living plastic free really do add up!

Cherry Picking

          We are so happy to be visiting the Okanagan right at the beginning of cherry season- this is the time of year that a random rain storm can either make it or break it for orchardists- currently all we see is blue skis! The fruit is beautiful- and delicious- just as I remember it fresh off the tree. Our Littles are very well versed in where our food comes from- we have planted gardens- pumpkins, carrots, radishes, garlic- we have picked apples in the orchard and plums but never have they picked cherries. There really is nothing quite like eating the fruit right off the tree- still warm from the sun.

        When my sister and I were small we used to head to our Great Aunt's house in Kelowna- as the wife of a former orchardist it was only natural that she have a large and healthy cherry tree sitting on her corner lot. What I remember is how bug that tree was- watching the legs of adults disappear up into the leafy branches- surely up past the telephone lines. Hot, bright skies against the cool, lush, greenery of an ancient garden. My sister and I stealing handfuls of cherries from unattended buckets- hiding out in the dank, dark woodshed with our pilfered treasures- hanging pairs of cherries over our ears - pretending to be grown up ladies.

        It must be natural for children to hang pairs of cherries over their ears- those dangling pars just beg to be jewels against little one's necks- the best sort of jewellery one could wish for- surely worth more than the largest of rubies. These Okanagan cherries are a symbol of the industry that once drove the Valley- before boats and wineries became the working man's measure of success.

        Our children clamber up the ladders like monkeys- perhaps there is some sort of innate memory- my maternal family has a long history with the Valley's orchards. For now what is important to them- on this visit- is not the disappearing orchards of the Okanagan- or the massive spread of condos- or the roar of outboard motors- what is important to these little ones is climbing up a tree and picking the yummiest cherries they have ever eaten. Reaching up to pluck those jewels from the tree and stuffing as many as possible into their mouths!

       

Farmer's Market: Trout Lake

         Our latest and by far biggest market to visit was last weekend - the Trout Lake Market is located just off Commercial Drive and is by far one of the more vibrant and busy markets. All our favourite vendor's from the Winter Market were here as well as a few new ones we were more than happy to discover! 

       SO much goodness was happening here! As you can see BC is coming into cherry season- where I grew up this was a big industry- lots of family farms still getting by on one crop of cherries a year- such a short window to make an entire year's worth of income. Although the cherry orchards of the Okanagan are not as plentiful as they once were you can still hear the bird cannons going off with much regularity this time of the year- every few minutes- BOOM!

       One of the things I am totally loving at this year's markets are all the swaps- magazines and now cook books- what a super idea! I am always on the look out few fresh inspiration and if the market wares were not enough now we have inspiration on what to do with all that fresh produce!

        When I think back to how we shopped as a family even a little less than a year ago I am shocked at what we considered to be normal- crammed grocery store- shopping buggies battling in traffic- fluorescent lighting. Now I am not claiming there is anything wrong with grocery store shopping- not everyone has Farmer's Markets in their towns such as we do. It just works for our family really well- even in the hubbub of the Trout Lake market I felt relaxed and happy- to be outside- buying good clean food- all of us together- shopping as a family.

         The Trout Lake market is open Saturdays 9am- 2 pm- starting May 11 and running through until October 19. The market is located in the North parking lot of John Hendry Park- due to construction in the old location. Parking is super limited at this popular market so walk, cycle or take transit if you can!