When I think of applesauce, pictures pop up in my mind. The first, as a kid when dessert was always on the menu for weeknight suppers. In the spring, a more or less steady supply of stewed rhubarb, then summer's succession of fresh berries, peaches and when summer turned to fall, applesauce. If there was nothing else, the rounded white Leonard door opened to a bowl of applesauce. It was one of the first things I learned to cook - so simple: peeled apples, a splash of water, some heat, a little elbow grease with the potato masher and a touch of sugar or honey for sweetness. 

The second applesauce image comes from a visit to a boyfriend's family home near Pittsburg in the US. The boyfriend loved applesauce - only for breakfast. During the visit, after I'd been OKed by his family, his mother took me to the chest freezer to show me the quarts of applesauce -frozen in the fall, ready for when the golden boy came home from college, yearning for his applesauce breakfast. As I remember, it went with strips of crisp bacon, and I may have imagined this part, cinnamon toast. On reflection, this was Mom passing the applesauce baton onto me, future wife and cook. The guy's long gone from my life, and but not his applesauce.

Move the kitchen up to the 70s when Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking was a best seller, and all the rage - the first time round. The book inspired the introduction of Charlotte aux Pommes (Apple Charlotte) and Tarte aux Pommes (Apple Tart)  to my entertaining dessert repertoire. Simply put, a charlotte is a moulded dessert, in the case of apples, a rich thickened applesauce surrounded by butter crisped strips of bread, baked, turned out and eaten with lightly whipped cream. The Tart features artfully arranged and glazed  apple slices over applesauce simmered to a lustrous deep golden apple "marmalade". A far cry from a humble  bowl of applesauce, well beyond the companion to cinnamon toast and bacon, these desserts are  the "haut" of the applesauce world. 

So why, in the 21st century would anyone take a perfectly good apple and bother to make applesauce? Is it frugality? What was thrifty eating now has the cachet of  local and seasonal. Apples are not expensive, especially at markets and roadside stands. Applesauce is simple to make - a good introduction for kids interested in cooking. Best of all, different varieties of apples make different tasting applesauce - and you don't get that out of a jar in the supermarket!  You can sweeten as you like and according to the sweetness of the apples - not much for Gala, a touch more for Cortland or Northern Spy. And applesauce is a delightful ingredient, adding the essence of a crisp fall day to muffins, quickbread loaves, puddings, and as they say, much more...see below. 

Very Simple Applesauce

This template recipe yields about 4 cups (1 L) applesauce - enough to enjoy for a few suppers and breakfasts. Double or quadruple the amount if you want to freeze or preserve some in jars for cold times. While cinnamon is almost wedded to apples and sauce, I recommend making the sauce without so you can enjoy the clean taste of the apples. You can always add cinnamon or a grate of nutmeg to the sauce at serving time.

10 cups (2.5 L) peeled, cored and sliced apples (7 large apples or 3 lb/1.5 kg)

1 cup (250 mL) water

1/4 cup (50 mL) granulated sugar, optional

. In a medium-large saucepan, bring the apples and water to a simmer over medium heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, about 20 minutes. 

. Mash with a potato masher or fork for chunky sauce, or for silky smoothness, press through a food mill or puree using an immersion blender or stand blender.

. Taste, adding sugar if desired.

. Makes about 4 cups (1 L) applesauce.

Microwave Applesauce: Pack the apples with the water into a large microwaveable bowl. Microwave uncovered on high for 12 minutes, stirring twice; let stand for 2 minutes. Mash as desired.

Rosy Pink Applesauce: If you're making sauce with red apples such as Cortland, McIntosh, Spartan or Empire, wash the apples thoroughly and leave the skins on when you're coring and slicing the apples. Press the cooked sauce through a food mill or sieve to remove the skins - but not the colour they've added to the sauce. Or puree the cooked sauce in a food processor or blender so the skins become part of the sauce.

Slow Cooker Applesauce

This nicely tarted up applesauce comes from the brand new Canadian Living/The Slow Cooker Collection, Transcontinental Books, $22.95. But again, nothing could be simpler than putting the ingredients in the slow cooker and buzzing off for a few hours of fun...work or errands. 

8 cups (2L) sliced peeled and cored apples

1/2 cup (125 mL) packed brown sugar

1/4 cup (50 mL) apple cider or juice

1 strip lemon rind

2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice

Pinch each cinnamon and nutmeg, optional

. In slow cooker, gently toss together the apples, sugar, cider, lemon rind and juice.

. Cover and cook on low until apples are tender and break down, about 6 to 8 hours. Discard lemon rind.

. Using an immersion blender or potato masher, puree or mash apples to the desired texture. Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg, if using. (Make-ahead: Let cool. Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.)

. Makes 4 cups (1 L)

Preserving Applesauce

. Freezing Applesauce: The simplest way is to pack cooled applesauce into freezer containers, bags or rigid. Mark "applesauce" on the container, the date of production and the amount. I don't know about you, but it's so easy to forget what's in the containers. (The freezer seems to wave a wand of sameness over the containers.)You will bless yourself when you go to look for the applesauce and can find it easily. Pack it away in amounts that suit your household needs, especially if you're planning to use the sauce as an ingredient.

. Canning Applesauce: To preserve in jars (funny how the word canning is still  used even though jars have replaced cans for home preserving), pack piping hot applesauce into hot preserving 1 or 2 cup  250 or 500 mL) jars leaving 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) headspace. Seal with new discs you've softened for a few minutes in hot water, and bands tightened until resistance is met, then to fingertip tightness. Place in the rack of a boiling water canner about 2/3 full of very hot water. Add boiling water if necessary to cover the jars by 1-inch (2.5 cm). Cover and bring to the boil; boil for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and uncover until boiling subsides. Using canning tongs, lift out and set on a rack to cool for a day. Check that the seals have flipped downward before storing in a cool dark spot.Refrigerate and eat up any that haven't sealed properly within a week. If you respect the headspace, new lids and good preserving jars rules, all your jars should seal properly. 

What To Do With Applesauce

. Eat it for breakfast, either half and half with plain or vanilla yogurt, or to top a bowl of oatmeal or granola. Spoon over pancakes.

. Treat it as a snack for after school with cinnamon toast.

. Spoon applesauce into bowls and top with frozen vanilla yogurt for a quickie weeknight dessert.

. Pack it for lunch - for adults and kids in a reusable container.

. Serve it with latkes for Hannukah.

. Moisten and flavour stuffing - add a cup of thick applesauce to stuffing for a turkey, alongside, of course, the usual onions, celery, herbs and cubed bread.

. Make Apple Fool,  a 5-minute mini dessert:  If your smooth applesauce is unsweetened, or only somewhat sweet, stir in 1 to 2 tbsp. (15 to 30 mL) liquid honey into a cup of applesauce. Whip 3/4 cup (175 mL) 35% cream. Layer applesauce and cream in demi-tasse cups or small glasses, finishing with cream. Dust with cinnamon or nutmeg, or top with toasted sliced almonds. Makes 3 to 4 desserts.

. Count on applesauce to go with grilled pork chops, lusty sausages, crispy roast pork loin and tenderloin. Delicious with goose and duck too.

. Mix into pureed rutabaga to temper the rutabaga's bitter edge.  Or stir into pureed parsnips or sweet potatoes to add another dimension to the vegetable. 

. Preserve applesauce either processed in jars (see above) or in plastic freezer containers in handy 1 cup (250 mL) amounts. Then you have applesauce handy for Applesauce Raisin Loaf, Applesauce Muffins and much more. Even a fancy French Charlotte.

Glazed Applesauce Loaf

The recipe is slightly adapted from Judith Comfort and Katherine Chute's Apples, Apples, Apples published by Doubleday in 1986 - still one of the best books on the fruit. 

1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, softened

1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar

2 large eggs at room temperature

1-3/4 cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour

1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder

1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda

1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt, ground cinnamon and nutmeg

1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cloves

1 cup (250 mL) applesauce, unsweetened preferred

1/2 cup (125 mL) walnut halves, chopped

1/2 cup (125 mL) raisins or dried cranberries

Glaze:

1/2 cup (125 mL) icing sugar

1 tbsp (15 mL) apple juice or milk

. Line a 9 -x 5-inch (2 L) loaf pan with parchment paper - 2 layers are best, or grease; set aside.

. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until well blended and light. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each.

. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add to the butter mixture in 2 additions, alternating with 1 addition of the applesauce.  

. When the last addition of the dry ingredients is almost incorporated, sprinkle the surface with the walnuts and raisins. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.

. Scrape into the prepared pan, spreading the batter evenly. Tap the pan lightly on the counter. 

. Bake in the centre of a 350°F (180°C) oven until a cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes. 

. Let cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a rack, using a second rack or a small rimless baking sheet to turn the loaf upright and to slide it back onto the rack, top up. 

. Glaze: In a small bowl, stir together the icing sugar and juice. For a clear glaze,  brush the glaze over the loaf while the loaf is warm , or for an opaque glaze, drizzle over a cool loaf. 

. Makes about 10 to 12 slices. 

Make-ahead Tip: The loaf freezes well thoroughly cooled and without the glaze. Freeze either the entire loaf, sections or slices that suit your household's needs. Wrap the pieces using quality plastic wrap and enclose in a freezer container or bag. The loaf also stores well at room temperature. Wrap or enclose in an airtight container, sneaking the odd little slice to test for mellowness and keeping qualities. 

Applesauce Muffins

This is an easy bake recipe, ideal for kids interested in helping make school lunches or make-ahead breakfast items.

2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar

2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder

1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda

1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon, optional

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

1 large egg 

1 cup (250 mL) applesauce, unsweetened preferred

1/3 cup (75 mL) canola oil

1/2 cup (125 mL) diced peeled and cored apple

1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped walnut halves

Cinnamon Crunch Topping:

4 tsp (20 mL) granulated sugar

1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon

. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or grease; set aside.

. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda , cinnamon, if using, and salt.

. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, applesauce and oil. Pour over the dry ingredients. Sprinkle the diced apple and walnuts over the wet ingredients and with a wooden spoon, swiftly and neatly stir the ingredients until just blended.

. Scoop into the prepared muffin tins.

. . Cinnamon Crunch Topping: Stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Spoon a generous 1/4 tsp (1 mL) over each scoop of muffin batter.

. Bake in the centre of a 375°F (190°C) oven until domed, firm to the touch and fragrant, about 20 minutes.

. Let cool in pans on rack for about 5 minutes; remove from pans to cool on a rack. (Make-ahead: Let cool; store in airtight container for up to 3 days. Or wrap in quality plastic wrap, then enclose in a freezer container. Freeze for up to 2 weeks.)

. Makes 12 muffins. 

Ketchup aux Fruits

In Quebec, one of the most beloved relishes is Ketchup aux Fruits. Not smooth nor nearly as red as commercial burger-topping ketchup, Ketchup aux Fruits is more like chili sauce - only with late summer fruits in partnership with tomatoes. It's the sauce every grandmother made, each with her own little variation on the tomato, peach, pear, apple, celery and onion theme.

Ketchup aux Fruits is not the only artisanal fruit product at the market in Quebec City.

Just how a relish that calls for peaches, not a commercial crop in Quebec, came to be so much part of a Quebec culinary repertoire is a mystery. But how good it tastes with tourtiere is no mystery - it's sweet and tangy, with a touch of spice providing a perfect foil to rich pastry and meaty filling.

The other place where Ketchup aux Fruits or Fruit Chili Sauce is a tradition is southern Ontario, a part of the country where peaches from the Niagara are an every summer experience. In both places, visible chunks of fruit are part of the relish's charm. Given that recipes for Fruit Chili Sauce have been being published for decades, it's no surprise to now find this bicultural bilingual recipe shared across Canada.

Here's the recipe that make me think of the jars in my grandmother's fruit cellar on a farm near Mitchell Ontario. The Quebec counterpart may have included celery for texture, possibly using white vinegar and brown sugar. Some even fiddled with the fruit, using plums to replace some of the peaches.  But it all ended up as Ketchup aux Fruits or a good Fruit Chili Sauce.

Ketchup aux Fruits (Fruit Chili Sauce)

8 cup (2 L) peeled chopped ripe tomatoes

2-1/2 cups (625 mL) peeled diced onions

2 cups (500 mL) peeled, pitted and diced peaches or pitted diced  nectarines

2 cups (500 mL) peeled cored and diced pears or apples

3/4 cup (175 mL) seeded diced sweet red pepper

2 cups (500 mL) cider vinegar

1-1/2 cups (375 mL) granulated sugar

2 tsp (10 mL) salt, regular or sea salt

1/4 cup (50 mL) mixed pickling spice

.  In a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, stir together the tomatoes, onions, peaches, pears and sweet pepper. Stir in the vinegar, granulated sugar and salt. Tie the mixed pickling spice in a 6-inch (25 cm) double thickness square of cheesecloth. Nestle in the pan. 

. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until thick, the chunks are tender and the liquid is no longer watery, about 1-1/2 hours. Remove the spice bag, pressing its juices back into the pan. 

A wide relatively shallow Dutch oven is perfect for cooking relishes, especially it it's like this one with a thick cast aluminum pad under its bottom.

This is a satisfying thickness. The Ketchup aux Fruits (Fruit Chili Sauce) has boiled down to about two-thirds of its initial volume.

. Pour into prepared 1-cup or 2-cup (250 or 500 mL) preserving jars, leaving 1/2-inch (2 cm) headspace. Seal with prepared discs, and bands. Boil in boiling water canner for 20 minutes. (See Canning Basics below). 

. Makes about 9 cups (2.25 L) Ketchup aux Fruits (Fruit Chili Sauce).

Canning Basics: 

. Ensure that you have enough preserving jars in perfect condition. Wash, rinse and air dry. 

. Always use new lids. Place in a bowl and five minutes before filling jars, cover the lids with hot, not boiling water to soften the sealing compound. 

. Before starting to cook the Ketchup aux Fruits, fill a boiling water canner about two-thirds full; add the preserving jars, letting them fill with water. Cover and start to heat about 30 minutes before preserve is ready to jar. 

. Using canning tongs, move the jars from the canner to a tray beside the stovetop. Increase heat under the canner to bring the water closer to the boil while filling the jars. 

. Using a funnel and a 1/2 cup (125 mL) metal dry measuring cup, fill the jars to within 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) of the top. If you've used the funnel and scoop chances are there won't be any salsa on the rim of the jars. Or, not much. But inevitably, some will slop over; wipe any off using damp paper towel.

This method of filling jars is so much neater than using a ladle, or filling a big pitcher and pouring into the jars.

. Place the prepared discs on the jars, and with a firm but not forced motion, screw on the bands until resistance is met, then tighten just to finger-tip tight. Note the lids in the red bowl in the background. They are covered with hot water.

Canning tongs in action, gripping the jar and its hot contents safely.

. Use canning tongs to transfer the filled jars safely to the rack in the canner. Lower rack into the water. Add more boiling water  if necessary so that the jars are covered by 1 inch (2.5 cm).

. Cover the canner; bring the water to a vigorous boil. Time the boiling from this point. 

. At the end of the boiling time, turn off the heat. Remove the cover and let the boiling subside. Lift the rack and with canning tongs, transfer the jars to a rack or folded thick towel.

. Let stand for a day; wipe, label and check each jar. Properly sealed jars have lids that have curved down. Jars with lids that didn't snap down need to be refrigerated and relished within 3 weeks. But before you think you'll lose half your preserves, note that if you have used new lids, real preserving jars and respected the headspace and sealing gospel given above, it will be extremely rare that a jar doesn't seal properly. 

Salsa came on with an explosion in the early 90s. For years Canadians had been chopping up their tomatoes and onions with a soupcon of peppers, simmering it down with sugar, vinegar and spices and calling it chili sauce. All of a sudden a tangier, hotter and more aromatic sauce became a great big commercial success - and a home canner's sauce of choice. Salsa.

Not the dance and probably more accurately called a pico de gallo. But the sauce came labelled salsa ("salsa" means sauce in Spanish), and salsa it's stayed. One of the first recipes I tried and published in the magazine became the Cooking Lesson. It was straightforward and didn't require a lot of exotic ingredients to make a mildly hot and pleasing relish. Letters from readers told the story of it success among home canners and repeated phone calls every preserving season reminds the test kitchen how many readers have enjoyed our "Peppy Salsa". 

We can only imagine how many readers have spooned the salsa over grilled cheese or macaroni and cheese, rolled it up with fajitas or added it to zip up dips and quesadillas. While the pepper crop is at its most gloriously crisp and colourful, and late harvest tomatoes still available, it is wise not to waste a moment getting into the kitchen to make at least a modest supply of your own salsa. You'll be glad in December when you wrap the jars labelled "Christmas Salsa" and offer them to your best friends. Think ahead and include a recipe so your friends can make their own next summer. Maybe they'll follow your example, and share.

A word of warning, invest in rubber gloves when seeding and chopping hot peppers.

You may say that you can handle the heat, but in this salsa recipe you are working with 8 oz (250 g) jalapeno peppers and the heat accumulates to the burning point. And you never know, even if you're sure you're never going to touch your eyes or lips, you will. That fatal touch will cause your eyes to water, your mouth to burn. You will be miserable. So, before buying the peppers and tomatoes, get yourself either the looser and more awkward dishwashing rubber gloves or the form fitters available in drug stores and some supermarkets. 

While you can "chop" the vegetables, dicing or cubing them makes for a more attractive sauce.

Tried and True Salsa

When peeling a large quantity of tomatoes, cut a largish but shallow "x" in the bottom of the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes, top down, in a heatproof bowl or basin. Cover with boiling water and let stand for up to 60 seconds or until tomato skins loosen especially at the "x". Lift out with a slotted spoon, chill briefly in cold water and peel.

Prepping vegetables for any salsa, sauce or relish is rather time consuming. Try to have some diversion - a friend who will help and then share the spoils, a favourite program or movie or the music that matches the salsa beat.

Ingredients:  

6 large jalapeno peppers (8 oz/250 g)

8 cups (2 L) peeled and coarsely diced tomatoes (about 8 to 10 large, 4 lb/2 kg)

3 cups (750 mL) coarsely diced Cubanelle, Anaheim or mild banana peppers (3 large, 3 lb/1.5 kg)

2 cups (500 mL) diced onions

1 cup (250 mL) diced sweet yellow or red pepper

4 large cloves garlic, peeled and diced

2 cups (500 mL) real apple cider vinegar

1 can (5-1/2 oz/156 mL) tomato paste

2 tbsp (30 mL) granulated sugar

1 tbsp (15 mL) salt

2 tsp (10 mL) paprika

1 tsp (5 mL) each dried oregano and ground cumin

1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh coriander

. On a cutting board and wearing rubber gloves, cut jalapeno peppers in half lengthwise. With a small spoon, scrape out seeds and membranes. Trim off stems; dice finely to make 1 cup (250 mL). (A little extra won't go astray, but will make the salsa a little hotter.)

. Place the jalapeno peppers in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or saucepan; stir in the remaining vegetables - the tomatoes, Cubanelle peppers, onions, sweet yellow pepper and the garlic. Stir in the vinegar, tomato paste, granulated sugar, salt, paprika, oregano and cumin. 

. Bring the salsa ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until the liquid is no longer watery and individual ingredients are cloaked in the tomato sauce, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Stir in the coriander now, or add a little chopped fresh coriander to salsa when you serve it. The flavour will be fresher and more pungent - for coriander lovers a dream come true. 

. Pour into prepared 1-cup or 2-cup (250 or 500 mL) preserving jars, leaving 1/2-inch (2 cm) headspace. Seal with prepared discs, and bands. Boil in boiling water canner for 20 minutes. (See Canning Basics below). 

. Makes about 11 cups (2.75 L) salsa.

Canning Basics: 

. Ensure that you have enough preserving jars in perfect condition. Wash, rinse and air dry. 

. Always use new lids. Place in a bowl and five minutes before filling jars, cover the lids with hot, not boiling water to soften the sealing compound. 

. Before starting to cook the salsa, fill a boiling water canner about two-thirds full; add the preserving jars, letting them fill with water. Cover and start to heat about 30 minutes before preserve is ready to jar. 

. Using canning tongs, move the jars from the canner to a tray beside the stovetop. Increase heat under the canner to bring the water closer to the boil while filling the jars. 

. Using a funnel and a 1/2 cup (125 mL) metal dry measuring cup, fill the jars to within 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) of the top. If you've used the funnel and scoop chances are there won't be any salsa on the rim of the jars. Or, not much. But inevitably, some will slop over; wipe any off using damp paper towel.

. Place the prepared discs on the jars, and with a firm but not forced motion, screw on the bands until resistance is met, then tighten just to finger-tip tight. 

. Use canning tongs to transfer the filled jars safely to the rack in the canner. Lower rack into the water. Add more boiling water  if necessary so that the jars are covered by 1 inch (2.5 cm).

. Cover the canner; bring the water to a vigorous boil. Time the boiling from this point. 

. At the end of the boiling time, turn off the heat. Remove the cover and let the boiling subside. Lift the rack and with canning tongs, transfer the jars to a rack or folded thick towel.

. Let stand for a day; wipe, label and check each jar. Properly sealed jars have lids that curved down. Jars with lids that didn't snap down need to be refrigerated and relished within 3 weeks. But before you think you'll lose half your preserves, note that if you have used new lids, real preserving jars and respected the headspace and sealing gospel given above, it will be extremely rare that a jar doesn't seal properly. 

The lids are all curved down and the jars, now cool enough to label, will be stored in a cool dark spot until needed for gift giving, or to partner with the perfect extra old Cheddar and Dijon mustard grilled cheese sandwich on really chewy whole grain bread.

Jamming with Nicolette Novak is fun- not work.

I met Nicolette Novak during peach season about 20 years ago. Not an unusual time to meet a tender fruit farmer in the Niagara Peninsula, expecially one who bonded with me in two respects: a dual passion for preserving and baking, especially, fruit pies. The location of our rendez-vous? Nicolette's retail outlet along the Queen Elizabeth Highway where her business focused on baskets of ripe-picked local fruit, homemade fruit pies and preserves. 

 It was around preserving that we got together in mid August for a day of jamming. Nicolette's life has shifted in the last two decades. From fruit farmer, Nicolette has created a a whole new business based on her passion for where she grew up and lives - The Twenty area of the Peninsula, Beamsville being the major centre of this fruit and wine region. Her enterprise is called The Good Earth, and while its roots are cooking school and catering, with tutored taste travel, it now encompasses weddings, picnics in the orchard, a line of pantry products, notably preserves, apricot jam, for example, plus stocks and other cooking items you may not have time to make at home, take-away lunches, a model 3-season garden, vineyards and a winery. The Good Earth  has had an enormous role in nurturing young chefs in the region and bonding locally grown food to the ever-growing wine industry. 

The Good Earth operates year round in a large airy and country-smart compact new"barn", appropriately set in the Novac orchards. Early on Nicolette built an outdoor barbecue area where her teaching chefs, notably pit boss Mike McColl conduct classes all-good-weather-long. I recommend that you check out www.goodearthcooking. com for a list of the upcoming special events and fall classes with resident chefs Isa DiIorio and Patrick Engel plus a sprinkling of local chefs. Soon Nicolette will be posting news about her new winery.

But back to that morning in August when I arrived to find a flat of just-picked apricots waiting our time, knive and long wooden spoons.

The Good Earth Apricot Jam 

Apricot jam just happens to be about my most favourite jam - not that I grew up with it. I was smitten years ago as a grad student, my first day in Paris, when breakfast in the tiny oh-so-chic hotel (I was easily awestruck - it was my first trip abroad) consisted of a big bowl of strong coffee and hot milk, a crackling length of baguette with sweet butter...and apricot jam. Hard not to think of Paris without my mind slipping into reveries of apricot jam. 

For a chunky apricot jam, start with halved or quartered apricots, depending on the size of the apricots, and look for apricots clearly on the firm side.

Nicolette's Apricot Jam is suitably Paris-style  soft set - not like most of the commercial apricots jams set firm enough to slice. Her jam is meant to drool over a slice of toast, buttered baguette, croissant or hot scone. The ratio is basically 4 parts prepared fruit to 3 parts sugar. Add some water to help soften the fruit, and lemon juice for tang and set, and you're jamming.

The fastest way to measure out ingredients is with a small scale.

4 lb (2 kg) washed, quartered and pitted apricots

3 lb (1.5 kg) granulated sugar

1 cup (250 mL) water

1/4 cup (50 mL) lemon juice

. Wash and air-dry 15 (1 cup/250 mL) canning jars with new lids. Set out all canning equipement: tongs: funnel: metal 1/2 cup (125 mL) measuring cup. Fill a boiling water canner about 2/3 full of water. Arrange canning jars on rack; cover and set over low heat to warm to steaming. Set 2 small plates in the freezer. Place new lids in a heatproof bowl; cover with hot water a few minutes before filling jars with jam. Do not boil lids or bands.

. In a large preserving pan or Dutch oven, stir together the apricots, sugar and water.

This flared, heavy-bottomed preserving pan is from Lee Valley.

. Set over high heat and stirring constantly, bring to a rapid foamy boil. Add the lemon juice. Boil hard until the seething mass is reduced by a generous quarter, apricots begin to soften and break down, and syrup surrounding them thickens, about 15 minutes for this quanitity of fruit.

The Queen of Jam wills the apricot jam to set. Note how vigorously the jam is boiling and how important it is to use long-handled wooden spoon to stir the jam. It keeps your hands and arms away from molten spatters.

. Nicolette is such a pro at jamming that she doesn't need the Wrinkle Test*, but if you aren't as experienced as she, check out the information below. Instead, as the jam cleared, we both listened for the now big bubbles to crack and pop as she stirred, indicating that the liquid had thickened as it reduced. We also did another witch-over-the-cauldron-style test: we stirred the jam with a long wooden spoon, then held the spoon high above the pan, parallel to the pan and watched the jam drop off the spoon back into the pan. Early on the jam flowed off quickly, then it started to hesitate, finally hung in a single drop from the bottom side of the spoon. At that point the jam was done.

. Remove from heat; skim off any foam and let settle for about 5 minutes, stirring.

. Using the funnel and metal measuring cup, fill the hot jars with jam to 1/4-inch (5 mm) from the top. With a damp paper towel, wipe any jam slopped over the rim. Cover with lids and bands, screwing on bands until you meet resistance, then tighten just a tad more to finger-tip tight. 

.Using preserving tongs, set as many filled jars as will fit onto rack in boiling water canner; lower rack. Add boiling water if necessary to bring water level at least 1-inch (2.5 cm) above tops of jars. Cover and bring to boil.

. Boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat; uncover canner. Let boiling water settle for 5 minutes. With preserving tongs  transfer jars to a rack or folded towel to cool. Repeat boiling any jars that didn't fit into the boiling water canner the first time round. 

. Do the usual wipe, label and storage in a cool dark place until the morning when you want to bathe your breakfast in a touch of Niagara summer - or a memory of Paris. The cafe au lait, crusty baguette and sweet butter are optional, but recommended. 

. Makes about 14 jars, 1 cup (250 mL), of jam. 

Tip: Nicolette used very snazzy preserving jar with a single-piece lid. All of her jars sealed to perfection. If by chance any of your canning jars with the two piece disc and band don't pop and seal, store that jar in the fridge and enjoy its contents within about 3 weeks. 

* Wrinkle Test: set two small plates in the freezer when you're assembling your jars and equipment. When a preserve has been boiling and from the pull on the spoon feels as though it's thickening, do a test with one of the plates. Remove the preserve from the heat. Dribble about 1/2 tsp (2 mL) preserve on the plate; let the preserve on the plate cool, about 2 minutes. Run the tip of a spoon through the preserve; if the surface wrinkles, the preserve is set. If the dribble is runny, return the plate to the freezer and panful of preserve to the heat. Boil hard, stirring constantly until the preserve on the colder plates of the 2 plates wrinkles. 

Peach Conserve

There is a little problem with apricot jam - the season is short, and alas, fresh apricots may not still  be available. You may have to wait until next summer to make a batch of Nicolette's Good Earth Apricot Jam. Peaches to the rescue, in a heritage recipe  that like apricots, makes a very soft-set preserve. The word "conserve" in the title of a preserve indicates a jam-like preserve with citrus fruit. There are sometimes spices as well, but not in this conserve. The original peach conserve recipe  I found hand written by my aunt Bessie Babb of Sebringville, Ontario, included maraschino cherries - and even though I don't usually include them, I've offered them as an option - in her honour. 

2 medium navel oranges, Cara Cara if available

1 large lemon

2 cups (500 mL) water, approximate

8 cups (2 L) coarsely chopped peeled and pitted peaches, about 9 large peaches that fit into a 3 L basket, or about 4 lb (2 kg)

6 cups (1.5 L) granulated sugar

Optional additions: 1/2 cup (125 ml) slivered maraschino cherries and/or 3/4 cup (175 mL) slivered blanched almonds

. Wash and air-dry 9 (1 cup/250 mL) canning jars with new lids. Set out all canning equipement: tongs: funnel: metal 1/2 cup (125 mL) measuring cup. Place 2 small plates in the freezer. Fill a boiling water canner about 2/3 full of water. Arrange canning jars on rack; cover and set over low heat to warm to steaming. Place new lids in a heatproof bowl; cover with hot water a few minutes before filling jars with jam. Do not boil lids or bands.

. Scrub oranges and lemon. Cut our stem and blossom ends, and any blemishes. Cut oranges in quarters; slice crosswise very thinly, discarding any seeds. Pare off lemon rind: cut into very thin strips about 1-inch (2.5 cm) long. Squeeze lemon to make about 1/4 cup (50 mL) juice. Set juice aside.

. Place orange slices, lemon rind strips, squeezed lemon halves and water in a Dutch oven. Cover and bring to a very low simmer. Cook the citrus fruit, stirring occasionally, until rinds are very tender, almost mushy when pinched, about 55 minutes. Watch carefull and add more water if necessary to keep the rinds steeping in water. When finished, there should be a shallow pool of water keeping the rinds juicy. Remove the squeezed lemon rinds. Let them cool enough to squeeze any liquid  back into the cooked rinds. 

. Stir in the peaches, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly; boil hard until conserve is reduced by a generous quarter, about 20 minutes. 

. Remove conserve from heat; let cool slightly. Either whiz about a third of the conserve with an immersion blender ( a Nicolette Novak trick to give body to soft-set preserves) or scoop out 3 cups (750 mL) of the conserve and puree in a blender. Return pureed conserve to pot. Add cherries and/or almonds, if using.

. Bring back to boil, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking and stirring constantly until thickened and setting point is reached, about 10 minutes.

. Remove from heat;  let settle for about 5 minutes, stirring.

. Using the funnel and metal measuring cup, fill the hot jars to 1/4-inch (5 mm) from the top. With a damp paper towel, wipe any jam slopped over the rim. Cover with lids and bands, screwing on bands until you meet resistance, then tighten just a tad more to finger-tip tight. 

.Using preserving tongs, set as many filled jars as will fit onto rack in boiling water canner; lower rack. Add boiling water if necessary to bring water level at least 1-inch (2.5 cm) above tops of jars. Cover and bring to boil.

. Boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat; uncover canner. Let boiling water settle for 5 minutes. With preserving tongs  transfer jars to a rack or folded towel to cool. Repeat boiling any jars that didn't fit into the boiling water canner the first time round. 

. Do the usual wipe, label and storage in a cool dark place.

. Makes about 8 jars, 1 cup (250 mL), of jam. 

Because some of the conserve was pureed, the spread has a very pleasing thickness. It is almost sauce-like.

Tip: This conserve, while lovely in all jam uses, is also quite a nice topping for rice pudding, ice cream, vanilla pots de creme, mascarpone cheese or drained yogurt.

It would be tough, stranded on a dessert island,  to have to limit myself to only 3 different kinds of jam. Choice 1 -  Summer Berry Jam with raspberries, strawberries and two other fruits such as cherries and red currants: Choice 2 - Ruby Red Grapefruit or Seville Orange Marmalade: Choice 3: Golden Plum and Apricot, edging out pure apricot by a nose.   

Last August, when both apricots and cheeky little yellow plums with a pinkish red blush arrived at the St. Lawrence Market I bought a basket of each and made my first batch of this combo. It was so beautiful, a warm golden colour with chunks of apricot and smooth background of plum, so magnificent in flavour, a blend of the perfumy apricot and tart plum, with a very appealing texture. Not the stiff set you get from purchased pectin, but a soft set, thanks to the pectin rich plums. This sort of preserve spoons divinely over croissants, bagels and cream cheese, ice cream, yogurt - you name it - even as a glaze for loin of pork or chicken, or a fresh fruit tart.

Beforehand Notes

. Heating the Jars: Before starting to cook your jam, place 7 (8 oz/250 mL) canning jars in the rack of a boiling water canner. (I also like to heat a few small canning jars in case there's not enough jam to fill one of the larger canning jars. I often add a small jar I don't intent to water bath so as to have a small "tester" I can store in the fridge and savour its contents within three weeks.) Pour in enough water to come about two-thirds of the way up the side of the canner. Cover, and when the jam has been boiling for about 5 mniutes, start to heat the water in the canner. By the time the jams is ready, the jars will be hot. Remove the jars with canning tongs and set upright on a tray before filling.

The canning tongs, centre, grip canning jars securely and are the one piece of canning equipment I deem absolutely essential. Hardware stores are a good source of canning equipement, including canning jars designed for holding preserves..

. Preparing the Lids: Always use new lids. Supplies are available in hardware stores and supermarkets. Place the lids in a heatproof bowl. About 5 minutes before filling the jars, cover lids with hot tap water. There's no need to boil them, or to heat the bands.

. Testing for Set: Place 2 small plates in the freezer before starting the jam. These are for testing the setting point of the jam.

. The Boiling Water Bath: 

. You need to boil all cooked jams in a water bath. This step, sometimes called "processing" pretty much a guarantee that your preserves, the ones you spend all that money and time  making, will last a year without spoiling. If you don't have a large blue speckled enamel water bath with specially designed rack that holds, lowers and raises the jars before and after processing, you can improvise with a large deep pot and a rack on the bottom that keeps the jars away from the intense heat at the bottom of the pot. The pot should be deep enough that there is an inch or two (2.5 to 5 cm) of boiling water over the top of the jars being processed. Space jars so that they do not touch each other.

Golden Plum and Apricot Jam

For the jam you will need to buy about 12 golden plums (1-1/4 lb/625 g) and about 20 small apricots, 1-1/4 lb (625 g). If buying fruit by the basket, check the fruit carefully as rainy weather in some fruit-growing regions has resulted in softer fruit that spoils quickly. When you get a basket of fruit home, remove fruit from the basket and set on a tray in a single layer. If the fruit needs a little more ripening time, leave the tray on the counter away from the sun. As soon as the fruit gives to a light touch, refrigerate and use as soon as possible. 

Note that the plums and apricots are not peeled.

4 cups (1 L) thickly sliced pitted golden/yellow plums

4 cups (1 L) quartered pitted apricots

1/3 cup (75 mL) water

1 large lemon

6 cups (1.5 L) granulated sugar

. Place plums, apricots and water in a large heavy bottomed Dutch oven. 

. Scrub and rinse lemon; roll firmly on counter to loosen juice. Squeeze out juice and strain juice onto fruit. Remove any seeds lurking in the lemon halves and nestle both halves into the fruit mixture.

. Place over medium heat and bring liquid to a simmer. Cover; reduce heat to low and cook very gently until the fruit has softened slightly, but is not mushy, about 10 minutes. Stir once or twice and peek as necessary to see that the liquid has not evaporated.

. Stir in the sugar. Increase heat to high. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard, stirring constantly, until the boiling jam appears less frothy, starts to clear and thicken, about 10 minutes. Now is the time to test for set.

. To test for set, remove jam from heat. Test by dribbling a small spoonful of jam on plate chilled in the freezer. Let stand for a minute; run tip of a spoon through the jam. If surface wrinkles, jam is set. However, if the surface remains liquid, return the plate to the freezer to reuse. Place jam back on the heat and boil, stirring constantly until a satisfactory set has been reached, always using the coldest plate for each test. 

. Remove from heat. Remove lemon halves and let cool. Stir jam for 5 minutes, skimming off any foam with a metal spoon. Squeeze any jam out of lemon halves; stir well into jam. 

. Using a funnel and 1/2 cup (125 mL) metal measuring cup, pour jam neatly into prepared jars (see below), leaving 1/4 inch (5 mm) headspace (canning lingo for space between top of jam and rim). Centre prepared lids on jars. If any jams touches the rim, simply wipe the rim with damp paper towel.) Screw on bands until resistance is met, then tighten to fingertip tight.

. Place jars in rack in canner. Add boiling water if necessary to ensure there's at least 1 inch 2.5 cm) over top of jars. Cover and bring to boil. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn off heat under canner and uncover. When boiling subsides, lift rack and remove jars using canning tongs. Let jars cool on rack.

. The next day, check that all the lids have curved downward - any that don't and aren't sealed properly are an extreme rarity if you've used new lids, canning jars and  been careful filling the jars. In this rare case, simply refrigerate the jam and use within 3 weeks.

Makes 7 jars, each 8 oz (250 mL) jam.

Good jam goes fast!