The canning season is still in full swing. In recent days we have had several winter storms that have enabled me to keep the canning going. I've been excited and eager for quite some time now to try a new recipe, (at least new to me) Crabapple Jam.
Last fall I couldn't help but notice the Crabapple trees in our area were bursting with ready to pick Crabapples. We have a couple of Crabapple trees on our property, but they're not mature yet. It will be a few years before they produce in abundance. A lot of people are not familiar with Crabapples. It's amazing how many have said in a quizzical voice, "I didn't know they were edible." The answer is yes! They most certainly are!
One day a week I help a friend of ours with her two little girls. That's when I get my big sugar fix. They are two of the sweetest treasures you have ever seen! 😊The three of us went out for a walk one day carrying buckets with us. They helped me pick gallons of crabapples from the trees in a nearby park. I've been promising them for months that I would bring them crabapple jam because they so willingly helped to pick them. I finally made good on my word.
I looked up several recipes without much success. I couldn't find one that I really liked. I finally decided I was going to have come up with one on my own. I gleaned some advice from different ones I read and then put my own spin on it. I must say I was very pleased! The cinnamon and cloves I added gave it a wonderful wintry/Christmassy taste and smell.
Crabapple trees are beautiful no matter the season. In the spring they flower in abundance offering brilliant color variations of pink, white, and purples. In the summer they are filled with green leaves providing refreshing shade. In late summer and early autumn they produce beautiful red and orange crabapples that can be picked and consumed for a sweet treat. I have several pictures to share of their different stages in the slideshow below. My favorite image is the one taken during the spring. It's an incredible sight! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
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