On Sunday, Oct. 18, a unique event happened at Coopers Green in Halfmoon Bay. A nice fire was built at Coopers Green and a large copper kettle placed on top. Into the kettle went 14 gallons of applesauce, prepared from local apples the day before. The batch was brought to simmer and was stirred constantly for eight hours. People took turns stirring with a hoe-shaped wooden paddle. In the end, 154 jars were produced. Some people took one or two jars home, with their donations going to local causes, including the Halfmoon Bay Community School, the Halfmoon Bay Child Care Society and the Hospital Auxilliary. Some fiddles, guitars, bouzoukis and bagpipes came out to make the work go along easier.
The apples came mostly from the Seahorse Farm in West Porpoise Bay. Thanks to Wendy Cooney for letting Halfmoon Bay pickers spend a few pleasant hours on a fine September day. The Fruit Tree Project donated more fruit. All the apples were organic and of heritage varieties.
The applesauce was made the day before by work parties that snitzed (cut up apples into bits), steamed and squished the softened apples through food mills. The compost that remained went to chickens, pigs, and horses. The big kettle was used for the steaming of the apples. That Saturday, it was raining, and the work party that came to Coopers Green to start the fire had to erect a large tarp over the fire pit. This worked fine, but everyone was happy to see the rain stop and the sun come out on Sunday.
Apple butter is basically thick applesauce with sugar and spices (cinnamon, clove and allspice) added. It is usually spread on biscuits or bread like butter, or you can make apple butter tarts or crepes or use it as a sweet sauce with meat. There is not a drop of fat in it. If you want to try apple butter, you may get some by donation if you stop by Dolphin Fitness and Physio, #102 - 5711 Mermaid, Sechelt.
Apple butter making is an old traditional way to use the last remaining apples in an abundant crop, so as not to waste any. Groups of neighbours joined together, bringing their apples, and would work together to get the job done, then have a nice supper and get out the fiddles and dance. Work and play happen simultaneously, and everyone is smiling as they take home their store of apple butter for the winter.
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