Apple Butter: Family Traditions

     

As a family, every fall we would pack up the family van with a homemade picnic lunch (usually fried chicken, macaroni salad, and other treats) and make our way down to the town of Julian, California.

     We would make this annual trek to Apple Bar Ranch on Wynola Road, and sit at the same picnic table under the old shade tree.  While we were there, my mom would visit with the owners of the farm, purchase a bushel of her favorite apple, and a few gallons of fresh pressed cider.  I remember getting to pick out some of my personal favorite apples, the Winesap.  Some years we could pick ourselves, but others we just purchased from their little stand. 

     We would then make our way to the quaint little town of Julian to visit the drugstore for a sundae, or a ice cream soda.  We would wait for enough seats at the counter to all be seated.  My favorite was all the Chocolate Ice Cream Soda.  Dad always got the Dusty Road: a mound of ice cream sprinkled with malt powder. 
  
     






Dad always wanted to go into the Julian Museum and look at all the same stuff every year, while mom and I, along with my sister would visit the local shops.  One of our favorite to visit was the Julian Cider Mill.  They had a peanut butter making machine, which was always fun to operate.  It sang a song while it made fresh peanuts into peanut butter and poured out into a small plastic tub.  I have many fond memories of singing along with that machine.  We also sampled cherry apple cider and boysenberry apple cider.  Sometimes we would purchase caramel apples to take home.

     One of the fondest memories of these apple farm trips was gathering the apples and cider to bring home for mom's annual apple butter making day.  She was given a recipe from her neighbor and friend, Joann Hancock:  Aunt Ella's Apple Butter.  Mom would make a huge batch of apple butter and put it in 8 or 12 ounce jars to give family and friends at Christmastime.  I remember coming home from school to the most delicious smell of Christmas...and it was only September!  The best part of apple butter making day was definitely having waffles for dinner with fresh baked apple butter smothered on top!

     I have been making my own batches of apple butter for many years now, but 3 years ago gave it a new name:  Grandma Bette's Apple Butter I am hopeful that my children, nieces and nephews will carry on the tradition of apple butter making each fall.  

     Today with the help of a couple friends, we made two HUGE batches.  We canned about 50 jars and I will be selling it at our first fall Jams & Sweets Sale in October.  Please check out our Facebook Page "Torok Farm & Gardens" or our Instagram  "torokfarmandgardens" for future sale dates.

     Oh...I almost forgot!  In keeping with tradition, we are having waffles for dinner tonight - smothered in fresh baked apple butter....