Early Autumn at Kirby's

We love Autumn at Kirby's! The colors, the smells, and the delicious flavors of Fall, are all filling our market right now.

Our first planting of Mums is in full bloom! Keep the color going all season with later varieties that bloom through October.

In Season

Homegrown: Apples, Sweet Peppers, Hot Peppers, Broccoli, Beets, Kale, Turnips, Cabbage, Garlic, Tomatoes (Plum, Canning, Regular, Heirloom, Cherry, Grape), Pumpkins, Gourds, and Apple Cider

Locally Grown: Parsnips, Carrots, Potatoes, Onions, Shiitake Mushrooms, Pears

Pumpkins!

Big and small, warty or smooth, yellow, orange, red, or white... create a beautiful pumpkin display with stacks, piles and rows of these amazing vegetables. Add perennial foliage plants for more texture and color.

Asters give the perfect pop of purple color to contrast with the warm tones of pumpkins and mums.

Apples!

 Honeycrisp, Autumn Crisp, Cortland, Macintosh, Gala, Blondee, Jonamac, and Gingergold

We have three different kinds of beets: Golden, which had a very mild, sweet flavor; Candy Cane, with beautiful red and white stripes; and regular Red Beets. Pickup a peck or half bushel to put up some beets today!

Candy Cane Beets

Find what you need at Kirby's to create an Autumn feast, or a simple dinner. Beets, potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, and turnips  - choose a few or all of the above and fill a pan for roasted fall vegetables. 

The end of September is the very peak of growing season, as the last remnants of summer overlap the beginnings of Fall. So much is ready now! Enjoy some lingering flavors of summer with Roasted Red Peppers and Roasted Tomatoes.  Browse our Recipe Index for more seasonal recipes.

Bartlett Pears, ready to eat!

Winter Squash Varieties: Acorn, Butternut, Buttercup, Delicata, Sweet Dumpling, and Pie Pumpkins.

Happy Fall! Hope to see you soon!

Cool Weather Vegetables Part 1 : Cauliflower

Delicious Cruciferous!

Members of the highly nutritious cruciferous family include broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, collards, kale, swiss chard, cauliflower and romanesco. Each one contains unique nutrients to keep you and your loved ones healthy, and the entire family has well known health benefits.

Orange Cauliflower

This unique vegetable contains 25 times the level of Vitmain A of white varieties. This trait came from a natural mutation found in a cauliflower field in Canada in the seventies. Scientists have since used the same strain of mutation to develop more nutritious foods (with increased beta carotene) such as golden rice.

Purple Cauliflower

The beautiful purple color is caused by the antioxidant group anthocyanin, which can also be found in red cabbage and red wine. Thousands of years ago, some of the very first cauliflower ever eaten was purple!

This morning as we were packing the CSA boxes, the truck pulled up to the back of the market with the rest of the produce for the CSA shares. It was full of vegetables that had been harvested minutes before the truck left our farm in Albion:  beets with dirt still clinging to the roots and leaves; dewy heads of  cauliflower crowned with crisp leaves cropped short, brilliant purple, orange and soft white peeking through.

There's nothing like standing by the truck as the back door slides up and your faced with giant mounds of perfect vegetables. You immediately want to photograph them, (maybe paint their portrait,) and then cook them up into a number of dishes good enough to pay tribute to their perfection. Here are a few suggestions...

Roasted Cauliflower

1 head medium Cauliflower

2Tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp Salt, or to taste

2 cloves garlic, minced

Break the cauliflower up into one to two inch pieces. Toss the florets with the olive oil, salt, and garlic. Spread on a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake at 450 for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender and golden brown.

An alternative method from Orangette, a food blog.

From NPR:  spice up your cauliflower with a recipe from Melissa Clark. And read a Cauliflower love story from Nicole Spirifakis, with the added bonus of an intriguing recipe.

And if you really want to dress up your cauliflower, this Cauliflower and Caramelized Onion Tart from Smitten Kitchen looks phenomenal!

Rhubarb, a Last Taste of Spring

Definitely one of the lesser known vegetables, rhubarb is tart, tart, tart. Just about any rhubarb recipe you encounter will also have a good amount of sugar in the ingredients list. Next time you pick some up, try a bite of it raw and you'll know why. Although rhubarb is most often found in pies and crisps, sometimes in breads, and occasionally as a sauce (my favorite), I've also heard of plenty of people eating it raw dipped in sugar. For those that favor this method, there's usually a story about hiding in grandmother's garden among the tall rhubarb leaves, with the sugar bowl.

History and Nutrition:

Wikipedia tells us that rhubarb has been enjoyed for thousands of years in China and Russia. As an import, it's value topped expensive spices like cinnamon in medieval Europe, but it didn't appear in the states until the early eighteen hundreds. Rhubarb's biggest nutritional contribution is Vitamin K (45% of your daily allowance) and Vitamin C (16%). It also tallies up a notable amount of Calcium (10%), Potassium(10%), andManganese (12%), among other nutrients. The leaves are, in fact, poisonous. That's why you will never see them for sale, we always chop them off first.

Recipe: Rhubarb Sauce

New to the flavors of rhubarb? I definitely recommend trying this recipe for Rhubarb Sauce. It's incredibly simple, you get to put it on vanilla ice cream, and it would be impossible to feature the flavor of this unique vegetable to a higher degree.

• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 2 lbs Kirbygrown Rhubarb, trimmed, washed, and cut into small chunks.

Preparation: In a saucepan simmer sugar and water until sugar is dissolved. Add rhubarb and simmer for 15 minutes,  stirring occasionally. Adjust sugar to taste.

Set aside to cool for about twenty minutes, then serve warm over vanilla (or strawberry!) ice cream, or simply in a cup by itself. It's also a great breakfast chilled, with vanilla yogurt.

sauce

Variations: Stir in 1tsp vanilla extract before serving to balance out the rhubarb with some mellow sweetness. For another delicious variation, add 1 cup of fresh, chopped Kirbygrown strawberries or whole raspberries right after you take the sauce off the stove.

If you've tried all of the the usual rhubarb options and you're looking for something new, check out some of the ideas at epicurious. The sweet/sour/savory chutney paired with a pork tenderloin is definitely on my to-do list! Have any favorite uses for rhubarb, or stories of grandma's garden? Let us know, we'd love to hear about it!

Grilled Sweet Corn with Three Butters

Chili Butter:• 1/4 cup butter, softened • 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce • 1 teaspoon sweet chili powder • 1 teaspoon dried oregano • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin • 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Lime Cilantro Butter• 1/4 cup butter, softened • 3 teaspoons fresh lime juice • 1/4 teaspoon lime zest • 1/4 teaspoon sugar • 3 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Lemon Herb Butter• 1/4 cup butter, softened • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest • 1 tablespoons each fresh, chopped basil, oregano and thyme • 1/8 teaspoon salt

For the Grilled Corn: Heat an outdoor grill or a stovetop grill to high. Peel back husks of corn, but do not remove. Remove all silk from corn and smooth husks back into place. Put each ear under running water to moisten the husk and place directly on grill. Grill, turning occasionally, until kernels soften and husks blacken, 10 to 12 minutes. Pull back husks and serve corn with 1 teaspoon flavored butter.

For each flavored butter: Using a spoon, mix butter with respective ingredients. Roll each into a log shape and wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper. Refrigerate until firm, 2 to 3 hours, then soften to room temperature before serving.

Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash

Summer is incomplete without a plate full of grilled vegetables. If you don't have a grill handy, broiling works just as well. Based on a recipe from epicurious.com.  

Ingredients

• 3 large Zucchini and Summer Squash, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or basil, or 2 teaspoons dried, crumbled
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or pinch of dried, crumbled

Preparation: Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat) or preheat broiler. Brush zucchini and squash with olive oil.  Grill or broil until tender, about 4 minutes per side. Cut into large chunks, and toss with herbs, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Serve warm.

Variation: Combine all ingredients except zucchini and summer squash in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette and mix well. Add zucchini and summer squash, tossing to coat. Allow vegetables to marinate, refrigerated, for at least one hour before grilling.

Sour Cherry Sauce

Baking this sauce in the oven is a nice alternative to spending time at the stove, stirring it in a pot. Then you can do whatever you want with it! Pour it on ice cream, add it to plain yogurt (pictured below), pair it with a warm homemade biscuit - be creative! But honestly, I tend to eat it all by itself, as a refreshing sweet treat.

Ingredients

7 cups of sour cherries, frozen or fresh

2 Tblsp Cornstarch

1 Cup Sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Blend Sugar and Cornstarch in an 8.5 x 11 glass baking dish.

Add cherries and stir to combine.

Place baking dish on the center rack of the oven and bake for 30-45 minutes, stirring every ten minutes. The cherries are done when it's bubbly all around the edges and begins to bubble in the center as well. Juices should be clear and slightly thickened. It will thicken more into a soft gel as it cools. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Will keep in the fridge up to a week.

Note: this recipe was inspired by a similar recipe on epicurious.com, called "Roasted Cherries". I changed the cherry to sugar ratio dramatically, and it's still plenty sweet!

Kale and White Bean Soup

This makes a wonderful early Fall meal with some sliced apple and cheddar!

2 cans white beans such as Great Northern 4 garlic cloves, minced 6 cups chicken broth 1 bay leaf 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary 1 lb smoked sausage such as kielbasa, sliced into bite-sized pieces 8 carrots, coarsely chopped 1 bunch kale 2 onions, coarsely chopped 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 tsps salt ½ tsp black pepper

Cook onions in oil in an 8 quart pot over moderatley low heat, stirring occasionaly, until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add beans, broth, salt, pepper, bay, rosemary, and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. While soup simmers, brown sausage (if using) in a heavy skillet over moderate heat. Then stir carrots into soup and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in kale and sausage and simmer uncovere, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender, 12-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Broccoli Salad

It's easy to add your own spin to this simple and delicious recipe. Toss in grated carrot, apple, raisins, or sunflower seeds, for a start! Or lighten it up a little by replacing half the mayo with yogurt.

1 Large Red Onion 1 Head Broccoli ½ lb Bacon ½ Cup Mayonnaise ½ Cup Sugar 2 Tblsp Cider Vinegar

Chop the head of broccoli into bite-sized florettes (coarsely grate the stem as well if you would like). Chop onion, then cook and crumble the bacon. Mix mayo, sugar, and vinegar in a bowl to make the dressing. Toss the broccoli, onion, and bacon in the dressing and refrigerate for two hours.

Melon Agua Fresca

Try this refreshing, cooling drink on a hot day!

• 1 cup cantaloupe, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup water
• ½ teaspoon fresh lime juice
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ½ cup chilled club soda or seltzer

Purée cantaloupe in batches with water in a blender. Transfer to a colander lined with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) or fine cheesecloth set over a deep bowl and let drain 1 hour. Gather ends of towel and very gently squeeze any remaining juice from melon, then discard solids.

Stir in lime juice, sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt and chill 1 hour. Pour into a glass and top off with club soda. Garnish: lime wedges; melon slices.

Note: Drink, without club soda, can be made 4 days ahead and chilled. Add soda just before serving.

Simple Sauteed Asparagus

Growing up on the farm, asparagus was always boiled until tender, and then served with butter, salt, and pepper. Simple, pretty healthy, and nutritious! But I have to say, I didn't gain an appreciation for asparagus until I got older, and I think finding other ways to serve it helped. Even though boiled asparagus will always be the stand-by, my favorite way to cook it at the moment is tossed in a pan with some fresh garlic (or garlic scapes) and olive oil. Sometimes I'll add parmasean cheese, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar or soy sauce to switch it up. Ingredients:

• About 2 tsps Olive Oil or Butter
• 1 pound Asparagus
• 1 Clove Garlic, minced, or 2 Tbsp Garlic Scapes, minced
• Salt to taste

1. Rinse the asparagus thoroughly (it grows in the sandy soil by our farm market, and often grains of sand cling to it), then cut into one inch pieces.

2. In a large frying pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat.

3. Add minced garlic and asparagus. Stir to keep the garlic from sticking and cover with a lid. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tip: I've found that the water clinging to the asparagus helps to keep everything from drying out and sticking to the pan- sometimes I'll add a little more water and cover it with a lid as it cooks, to create steam.

Variations

• At the end, toss with 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice and  1/2 tsp of lemon zest.
• Sprinkle with chopped walnuts or grated parmasean cheese.
• Stir 2 tsps of soy sauce or balsamic vinegar into the cooked asparagus. 

If you have a favorite asparagus recipe, send it our way. We would love to try it out and share it!

Fresh Tomato Sauce

a slightly modified recipe from epicurious.com

• 1 quart tomatoes
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 sweet pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp salt, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 5 to 6 quarts water
• 14 to 16 ounces spaghetti
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for topping pasta (optional)

Peel the tomatoes, if desired, by blanching the tomatoes in boiling water, then chop tomatoes coarsely.

Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large pan. Add onion and cook over medium heat until translucent. Add garlic and sweet pepper, and cook until the garlic barely begins to color.

Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook over moderately high heat for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes look cooked and moist but not all the liquid has evaporated. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For a smooth sauce, blend the cooked tomatoes in a food processor with the remaining extra-virgin olive oil and return the sauce to the skillet. For a chunky sauce, add the remaining oil before serving.

Bring 5 to 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons salt and the spaghetti; cook until it still offers considerable resistance to the tooth, around three quarters of the cooking time.

Drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups of the cooking water. Add the drained al dente pasta, 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, and the basil to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Cook over high heat, stirring to mix sauce and pasta, until the pasta is cooked. Add more pasta water if the sauce becomes too dry. Serve immediately, topped with Parmigiano if desired

Marinated Eggplant, with Variations

Not only does eggplant look and feel spongy, it also acts like a sponge, soaking up and holding onto whatever flavors you marinate or cook it in. Try using Indian, Thai or Mexican spice combinations for something that tastes completely different! Email us for suggestions.

• 1 large or two small eggplant 
• 1 Tablespoon chopped herbs (basil, oregano, parsley, thyme)
• 2 Tablespoon olive oil 
• 2 ½ Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 clove minced garlic

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Whisk all ingredients except the eggplant in a large bowl.
3. Wash the eggplant, then trim off a 1/2” s1ice on both ends. Slice thinly (about 1/4”) crosswise. Toss eggplant slices with the balsamic mixture and allow to marinate for at least twenty minutes.
4. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on a lightly oiled cookie sheet.
5. Place under broiler and cook for about five minutes, until the eggplant is slightly browned.
6. Flip and brown on the other side, about five minutes longer, until tender

You now have delicious, tender eggplant ready to add flavor to a variety of dishes!

Variations:

Try it on a sandwich with fresh (or roasted) tomato, basil and mozzarella! Be sure to use a really excellent loaf of crusty bread. Rub each slice of bread with garlic and drizzle with balsamic for some extra flavor. I bet this eggplant sandwich would be really good grilled or smooshed in a panini press.

Greek Salad (inspired by Aladdin’s in Rochester): One of my favorite meals of all time is a Greek salad with marinated eggplant. Top fresh greens with red pepper, cucumbers, olives, feta and some freshly broiled eggplant. Drizzle with balsamic dressing and serve with toasted pita. Yummmm!

Healthy Eggplant Parm: On a lightly oiled baking sheet, top each eggplant slice with 1 Tablespoon marinara and 1 Tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Bake at 450 for ten minutes, until heated through. Alternatively, layer the eggplant, sauce, and cheese in a baking dish and bake at 350 for about 35 minutes, until it gets bubbly and heated through.

Tip #1: Here is a great way to make jarred sauce taste a little closer to homemade. Take your favorite jar of marinara, add 1 cup diced Plum Tomatoes and 1 clove minced or 2 cloves of roasted garlic. Simmer for about twenty minutes. Toss in a tablespoon of fresh basil near the end.

Tip # 2: You should probably make a trip to Rochester Public Market, the very best place to get cheese. You can get your kalamata olives, feta, mozzarella and Parmesan from the lovely people in blue aprons (A Shed) for much less then you would pay in the store. There is also an AMAZING bakery next to Java's (at the North End) called Flour City Bakery. The best bread I ever bought. Be sure to stop at our stalls 49A & 51A – to say hi to Ted! Now you're all set to put together some incomparable meals with the very best ingredients around.

PS: Can you tell I love eggplant? Please feel free to shoot me an email if you have any questions! I'm always looking for new ways to cook up this beautifully alien looking vegetable, so I would love to hear about your favorite recipes.

Roasted Peppers

Have you ever tried roasting peppers? It's simple. Instead of buying an expensive jar at the store, make them in your own kitchen and then freeze for later. They're delicious as a salad topper, in pasta dishes, sauces, soups and on sandwiches!

Roasted Red Peppers

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss peppers with enough olive oil to coat lightly.
• Transfer peppers to large rimmed baking sheet. Roast peppers until partially charred, turning every 10 minutes, about 50 minutes. (This is important! I always have a hard time waiting until all of the skin is black. And this makes peeling the skin off a challenge, since any little bit of skin that isn't charred doesn't want to come off, while all the charred bits come off so easily.)
• Transfer peppers to reserved bowl; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Cool 15 minutes. Peel and seed peppers over bowl.

Note: Traditionally, peppers are roasted whole, but some people cut them into sections and roast them skin side up. This way, you don't have to turn them, just take them out when the skin is blackened. Also, try roasting other colors, including green, for different flavors. They won't be as sweet, but still so delicious!

Roasted Broccoli

Roasted Broccoli, recipe from Ken Steward

For anyone that has suffered through a plate of mushy, boiled or steamed broccoli, this dish will be a real treat. A little crisp on the edges with a rich and earthy flavor, you'll eat the whole tray if you aren't careful!

Ingredients: 2 heads broccoli, chopped into florets 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil, or any oil you like 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lay the florets in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Pour oil into small bowl and dip a pastry brush into the oil and then onto each floret to coat lightly. Sprinkle evenly with salt. Roast for 15-18 minutes, or until broccoli tips have begun to blacken and they can be easily pierced with a fork.

Chocolate Beet Cake from Erica Linden

Chocolate Beet Cake from Erica Linden

For those of you that make faces at beets, here is a delicious and unusual recipe from one of our members, Erica Linden. I hope it inspires you to give beets another try! And I'm sure it will be wonderful for all of us that already love beets too. :) Earlier this month we shared a blogpost that Erica published about her CSA share. It was a lot of fun for everyone on the farm to read an account from the CSA members perspective. You can check it out at thebeetbunch.com.

2 cups cooked, peeled & chopped beets 1 cup applesauce 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt 2 eggs 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup all purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup cocoa 1 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Combine beets with 1/2 c applesauce in a blender, puree and set aside.  Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Beat sugar, 1/2 c applesauce, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla for 3 minutes.  Add the dry ingredients and the beet mixture.  Blend.  Grease and flour a bundt pan (for cake, or use muffin tins).  Pour 1/2 the batter, sprinkle chocolate chips and cover with remaining batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes, remove from pan.  Cool completely.  Top with powdered sugar.  (This cake is very moist, refrigeration is best to keep it from spoiling.)

Variation: Mini muffin tins, bake for 10-15 min.  Let the kids poke a few chocolate chips down into the batter.

Baked Apples

At our first CSA picnic, CSA member Deborah Fister brought this recipe. Simple and pretty healthy for a dessert, it was also delicious!

½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup flour
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
3 Tbsp frozen unsalted butter
6-8 cored apples
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup raisins
½ cup cider

Whisk dry ingredients and cut the butter into flour (a food processor or grater works). Add nuts and raisins. Spoon into apples. Add ½ cup cider to bottom of pan.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

Broccoli Soup

This broccoli soup is another Kirby family favorite. We pull it out for Christmas, birthday parties, or just a chilly fall day. It's especially delicious topped with grated cheddar!

• 1 lg head broccoli
• 1 med onion
• 3 cups chick broth 24 oz
• 1/8 tsp curry
• 1/8 tsp dry mustard
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1cup half & half
• 4 tbsp flour
• 4 tbsp butter

1. In a large pot, cook broccoli and onion in broth until tender.

2. Add curry, dry mustard, and pepper.

3. Add flour to milk and stir until smooth, then add to broccoli mixture.

4. Add butter, and enjoy!

Fresh and Easy Applesauce

APPLESAUCE IS A MAJOR COMMODITY IN ANY KIRBY HOUSEHOLD. THERE'S ALWAYS A BIG BOWL OF FRESH, HOT APPLESAUCE ON EVERY HOLIDAY TABLE, AND WE OFTEN HAVE IT IN THE FRIDGE WHERE IT'S READY FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH OR DINNER. A POPULAR APPLESAUCE DESSERT WITH OUR FAMILY IS KNOWN AS APPLEJACK. IT INVOLVES BAKING ONE LARGE BISCUIT, COVERING IT WITH PLENTY OF APPLESAUCE AND A GENEROUS LAYER OF BROWN SUGAR AND CINNAMON, THEN STICKING IT IN THE OVEN TO BAKE UNTIL THE SUGAR IS CRISPY.

Applesauce is incredibly easy to make, and very good for you. We think it's best to use several different apple varieties. This gives the end product more flavor and better texture. Our favorite combination is Cortland, Jonagold and Ida Red or 20 oz. Over the years we've found that applesauce is just as delicious without sugar. The apples are usually sweet enough on their own (this year they're especially sweet!), and you can taste the flavor of each variety more when they aren't overpowered by sweetness.

While the traditional recipe is what you'll usually find on our table, some of us like to experiment! We hope you enjoy the variations. Let us know your favorite, and if you have one or two of your own!

KIRBY'S TRADITIONAL APPLESAUCE

• 8 cups Apples, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
• ¼ cup Brown Sugar (optional)
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon
• 2/3 cups Apple Cider

In a saucepan, bring apples and cider to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add cinnamon and sugar if desired. Simmer five minutes. Makes about eight cups.

Warming Spiced Applesauce

• 10 Apples from Kirby's Applesauce Mix
• 2/3 Cup Cider (or water in a pinch)
• 2 inch piece Fresh Ginger
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 3 whole Cloves
• Brown Sugar or Maple Syrup to taste

 Peel and core the apples, and cut them into large chunks. Add to a large pot with the cider and bring to a boil. Add spices, cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove spices, add sugar to taste and serve hot!

SWEET AND MELLOW APPLESAUCE

• 10 Apples from Kirby's Applesauce Mix
• 2/3 Cup Cider (or water in a pinch)
• ½ tsp ground Cardamom or 5 green Cardamom pods
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• ½ cup Honey, Brown Sugar or Maple Syrup

 Peel and core the apples, and cut them into large chunks. Add to a large pot with the cider and bring to a boil. Add cardamom, cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. If applesauce appears dry, add a little more cider. Remove spices, stir in vanilla and add sugar to taste. Serve hot or cold.

HOLIDAY APPLESAUCE

• 10 Apples from Kirby's Applesauce Mix
• 2/3 Cup Cider (or water in a pinch)
• 1 Orange
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 3 whole Cloves
• 5 whole Allspice Berries
• Brown Sugar or Maple Syrup to taste

 Peel and core the apples, and cut them into large chunks. Use a vegetable peeler to remove a long strip of zest from the orange, being careful to avoid the white pith. Combine the apples, juice from the orange, and the cider in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Add spices, cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the spices, add sugar to taste and serve hot or cold.

 Tip: To make removing whole spices easier, try putting them in a metal tea infuser, wrapping them in a bit of cheesecloth or a coffee filter and tying with cotton string before adding to the pot. If you don't have whole spices, substitute ½ tsp ground cinnamon, a good pinch of ground cloves, ½ tsp ground allspice, and add closer to the end of cooking.

 Other Options: Try adding other fruit, such as raspberries, cranberries, peaches, pears, or plums. Add a cup or two in with the spices and continue with the recipe. Experiment with different combinations and different ratios to find your favorite!

Adding a liquor such as rum, brandy, or whiskey mid way through cooking allows the alcohol to cook off, leaving behind a sophisticated level of flavor.