Apple Juice

I love the fall. Love it. Love it. Love it.

It makes me want to watch You've Got Mail, my favorite movie ever, while cooking with cinnamon and cloves. 

It also makes me want to preserve. 

And what's the best and cheapest thing to preserve in the fall?

APPLES!

(Especially if they're free apples from the neighbour's tree.)

Since I have about ten thousand apples (I'm exaggerating), and I didn't feel like peeling them I decided to make some juice.

Enter my mom's trusty Mehu-Maija.

This juice extractor is basically a big steamer that catches the juice from fruits or vegetables.

It's a great way to practice 'kitchen recycling'.

You can use any sort of food scrap in it. (In this case apples.)

I threw in apple cores, apple peels, soft apples and bruised apples and it steamed their little hearts.

Think of it as a last stop before the compost.

I know you're probably thinking. "Eww, yuck, I would never do that !"

But seriously, what do you think they make apple juice out of?

It's not the perfectly rounded, beautiful red apples you buy at the grocery store. It's the apples that didn't make the cut. The ones that fell off the tree and were left sad and all alone until someone found them and took the bruised and soft little guys and turned them into something delicious.

True story.

The steaming process is great because it pasteurizes the juice, killing any pesky bacteria that might want to attack you in your sleep. Or when you're awake.
('Cause no one wants to get hit with bouts of diarrhea day or night.)

It's also great because the hot juice is easily preserved by pouring it into scorching hot jars and puttin' on red-hot lids. No processing required and they seal wonderfully.

Tasteless, dry apple mush.

I think the juice is great on it's own or added to some soda for a punch.

Mmmm.... fresh apple juice. The taste of fall!