Happy Autumn Equinox!

By the time fall comes to San Juan Island I’m ready for it. On this rainy, misty autumnal equinox my heart is aching for a wood fire. My favorite autumn smells are hugging someone in a hand-knit wool sweater when beads of moisture from the air cling to the wool bringing out the smells of the lanolin and captured wood-smoke, that, and a big pot of ginger apples on the stove.

Peggy Sue’s Ginger Apples

Pick a big bag of apples.
Core them and cut them up putting them in a pot adding water to cover.
Cook about 1/2 to 2/3rds of the apples down to an applesauce consistency.
Add brown sugar to taste,
And a few splashes of lemon juice.
Slice up plenty of fresh ginger root and let it simmer in the applesauce.
Cut up the remaining apples, cook in the applesauce just until tender.
Put up in jars.