It’s four days before Christmas, two days before I leave Fernandina for New Hampshire, and yep: I’ve decided that I want to learn the art of canning. I have a few excuses prepared in regards to why I’d want to learn this now-ancient technique of preserving food: the first being that I’d do ANYTHING for a good apple butter, and the second, well, I needed a heart-felt, awesome (and impressive) Christmas gift to give to all of the crazy people I’ve met down here.

I actually remember the day when my love for apple butter started. Remarkably, I was in Florida at Disney World! I was in the 5th grade and we ate lunch in the Magic Kingdom at a “tavern” that was set in the colonial era. You were greeted with warm eggy buns on your table and, no, not just butter came with them; APPLE BUTTER did too…

5 lbs of mixed apples (whatever is on sale, as many different kinds as possible!)
About 7 c. apple cider
3 c. white sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 heaping tbs. cinnamon (or however much you enjoy, more of a preferential thing)
1 1/2 tsp cloves
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Peel, core and dice apples into 1/2 inch pieces. In a huge (and I mean LARGE) pot over the stove, mix all ingredients and cook until the apples get very soft. In a food processor, puree entire batch until smooth. Return to pan and let simmer on medium/low until mixture is very thick (you’ll hear the *plops* when it boils), and almost spreadable.

Canning:
Fill a large pot with water and bring to almost a boil. Drop in jars, seals and ring-tops and cover for 5-10 minutes, until very hot. Remove with tongs and let sit, upside down, on a paper towel until dry (they’re very hot so it shouldn’t take but 15 seconds). Fill each jar with hot apple butter. Remove any drips from top rim of jar, then add seals and ring-tops. Set aside to cool on the counter. To know that your butter was sealed properly, you’ll hear the jars pop between 1-2 hours of cooling. If you don’t hear them, press the top once the mixture is cooled. If it gives, then you need to re-can them, but if it’s firm you’ve done a great job!

Note for making great buttah: Canning isn’t for the faint of heart; it’s a day-long project and it takes a lot of patience. But I have enough apple butter to give to all my friends PLUS keep 4 jars for myself. MERRY CHRISTMAS, ME! Other than the whole process of preserving, the recipe is very easy and delicious. I’ve heard that you can make all different kinds of butters; pear and peach are two most interesting to me. If I can do it, so can you (pun INTENDED)…