Ok, so…it’s a bit cheeky to start out a post with the heading, “How Do You Like My Apples?”, but I just couldn’t resist. For weeks I’ve been finding ways to use up all the apples we either grew or foraged locally and I’ve been anxiously waiting to share the results with you.
Since September we’ve been making fresh pressed apple juice, applesauce, Irish apple cake, rustic apple galette, and caramel apples in our kitchen. I even tried to make apple fruit rolls but that was just a step too far…even for me. They weren’t so nice.
I give full credit for all this apple busyness to my lovely mother-in-law, who lives the adage “waste not want not”. Years ago, when she saw me binning (throwing out) apples that had fallen off our trees and were becoming worm fodder, she ordered me to collect them up and then she brought me into my own kitchen for a bit of culinary instruction.
“First you cut out the bad bits and toss them in the bin,” she said.
To which I replied, “But what about the worms?” Truth be told, I really didn’t fancy the idea of accidentally cutting through one.
“Don’t mind them…they can go in the bin too!” she answered with a smile. And that was that. I never looked back.
Leaving the skins on apples when you press them makes their juice run a gorgeous shade of pink. The colour alone is enough to suffer through yucky bits of brown apple and the possibility of the occasional decimated worm. If you have any doubt, just look at the photo below.
And don’t mind the brown foam at the top. As Mama told me all those years ago, “It’s lovely!” Enjoy.
Homemade Apple Juice
Makes One Large Glass
Ingredients
3-5 apples, washed with skins left on
Directions
1. Cut apples into chunks, remove and discard seeds and core.
2. Put into juicing machine as per factory instructions.
3. Serve or freeze immediately.
Note: To make enough juice to fill a 2 litre carafe like this one, I used 6lbs/700g of small apples.
In an Irish Home 
Dear Kimi am
Newly joined to your blogs and love them! Thanks a million, a bit like your Mother-in-law, I am an enthusiastic cook!
There isn’t anything quite like fresh apple juice, it is so hard to find any now that is not from concentrate. Next time you make it try either of the variations below; surprisingly nice.
By the way, what sort of juicer do you have? I am hunting down one that makes the whole fruit in to a good, not too pulpy juice.
Best wishes
Theia
Apple n carrot: 2 apples, quartered and cored, 1 manderine, peeled, 1 large carrot, cut in to chunks, 1/3 cup cold water, thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled.
Method: simply add to juicer, process until smooth and serve um!
Apple lemon zinger:
2 to 3 apples, half to 1 lemon, outer skin peeled off, 3 sprigs mint, the whole sprig, ¼ cucumber, seeds removed to reduce bitterness.
Method: again, blitz in a processor/juicer for better results and serve
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Hi Theia! Thanks for visiting In an Irish Home and thanks for following too. If you get two comments from me today it’s because I accidentally pressed the Reply button twice – so sorry – it’s very early. I am delighted that you took time to write and to give some suggested juicing recipes. It’s always lovely to talk “with” and exchange ideas “with” someone. I seem to spend lots of time talking “to” people through postings and sometimes actually wonder who’s out there!! Anyhoo…you asked what juicer I have. It’s a Philips and it’s ancient. I’ve {literally} had it for donkey’s years. Have you seen the Sage Nutri Juicer? I’ve watched this very interesting youtube video about it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0ixio6CawI. Because of the price, I’ll have to do a wee bit more research before buying. I’m going to try your juice recipes in the coming weeks and get back to you on which is my favourite. Happy Christmas to you. Kim
[…] Gur Cake…which in hindsight is so strange because she taught us to make fresh pressed apple juice, homemade Irish soda bread, thick and hearty vegetable soup, and so much […]