Sugar in all forms

-Posted by Isaac

Happy November! Check out Maizy’s winning pumpkin at the Worthington Market:

It’s been, and continues to be a festive week.

But the end is in sight. Three parties to go, and we’re DONE. Thank God.

This Westfall Trunk or Treat on Wednesday brought out the real diehards.

Sugar, sugar, sugar. (In the rain.) The Halloween harvest is upon us.

And slowly, almost imperceptibly, the human condition improves. Maybe Steven Pinker is on to something.

Just look at that candy bucket! That’s one kid’s effort, on just one of many trick or treats… filled to the brim in less than an hour. Why, back in my day it would take a week to do that.

This is 2019 folks!

Evidence of humanity’s betterment abounds. Just look closely at the bucket—the kinds of candy— that’s important. Remember what we had to put up with?? We forty-somthings… Necco Wafers… little Tootsie Rolls… Dum Dums… Sweet Tarts… Smarties… Jaw Breakers… popcorn balls… apples! Apples fer cryin’ out loud! On Halloween! Yes, I’d say we’ve most definitely made visible progress over the years. (I do however miss the candy cigarettes.)

I suppose some of you naysayers would question my judgment in calling this “progress.” But I’m standing with Pinker.

You hand the younger generation the reins and just watch the world get better.

Three to go. Two for the kids, one for the adults. We’ll be good and stocked with candy by week’s end.

A week that started in the rain and may end in the snow. It’s gotten cold hasn’t it?

Look at what the cold does to the fall honey. Yesterday I went out and checked a bucket.

It’s hard to believe, but that honey was extracted just 15 days ago. And it flowed out of the comb perfectly fine. When you have goldenrod honey at 16% moisture, a lot of aster in the mix, and cool temps, you have some fast granulation on your hands. In another two weeks it will be rock solid.

Looking at that slow lovely flow made me think of our first (and favorite) party of the week.

Kristen Baughman’s apple butter shindig. We never miss it.

It takes a full day. Lots of apples and lots of sugar.

And constant stirring. 10 hours of stirring!

Mason took a turn while we settled in with beer and football.

And food. Of course!

Kristen is locally famous for her pie making skills, and her boyfriend Doug has provided Maine lobster for the last two years. (But be doesn’t do the cooking. That’s up the the guests to figure out.)

But let’s not lose sight of why we’re here. The butter must not rest!

My buddy Mike shouldered most of the burden for most of the evening.

And I got in on the last bit…

…while all the action was happening.

For about 20 minutes it’s coordinated madness. The big copper cauldron is quickly lifted, the hot stand quickly moved, the tables shifted, and the pouring begins. In assembly line fashion.

I had the pleasure of stirring while watching it all. Sixteen gallons of apple butter will fill 128 pint jars. Party favors.

The best part is the last part. Kristen bakes a big batch of rolls,

and we all set to work on cleaning that big copper pot.

It’s the least we can do to say, thank you!