Or made into pies

Apple season is upon us; though those in the trees are not quite sweet, there is a serious apple drop in progress. I'm adapting to this by gathering the drops (no way the poultry can keep up with them) before they bruise over, and processing for dehydration. Each apple is smacked with the corer-slicer ring and the core is discarded, then the fourteen slices briefly examined for quality. Those not accepted fall into the reject bucket with the cores, the rest are dipped in vinegar pr vitamin C water and salt solution, then transferred to the dehydrators.

Dehydrated apples keep a good while and represent useful nutrients and carbs. Home dehydrated slices are not as appealing as the sulfured product from the grocery store, but reconstitute well and can be added to hot cereal, breads, soups and other dishes or made into pies.The reject bucket also represents a resource; its contents can be crushed and pressed to make juice, cider or vinegar, and the "squeezings" given to the chickens or used as compost.

While thinking about all this, be sure to wash all your equipment before calling it a day, and pick a peck of particularly pretty "pommes" for the kitchen fruit basket, and/or to share as the evening turns to night.

[Munching fresh apple] "What star is that?"

"That one? Antares." [Munch]