Last week Sage, Lupine, and I went to Turkey Ridge, our local organic orchard for a day of picking, playing, and picnicking. 
It's a cooperatively run farm utilizing some cutting edge organic pest management strategies. Their use of livestock for pest control is inspiring.
So we found ourselves alone in a vast orchard, the sun warming our shoulders as we climbed, picked, and nibbled our way through the morning.
We picked a case of apples, had our lunch on the hills overlooking the orchard, then headed home to make some sauce. Lots and lots of sauce.
It seemed daunting. All that chopping. Cooking. Smooshing.
But it was, well, stupid easy. So easy in fact, that all night I kept thinking - people actually buy applesauce? I have actually bought apple sauce?
Um, yeah. Many times.
From now on, applesauce will live eternally on my list of homemade treats. We used Sally Fallon's recipe (requiring just apples, lemon juice, a stove and a food mill) with no peeling, coring, or chopping. In essence, quarter the apples, add lemon juice and a splash of water, and cook. Press down with a potato masher occasionally, then cool and run through a food mill (we picked ours up at the thrift store for $5). And though I prefer chunky applesauce, the ease of this recipe may convert me to a smooth sauce girl.
An easy, delightful evening spent storing our harvest for the chilly months to come.
