Well, hey there! Been a while (like 11 months), hasn’t it? So how’ve you been? Lots has happened since I put up a post and I’ve got to say, I hope this year has been kind to you.
I hope you’ve also been enjoying some of the best parts of this season. The weather here in NorCal is finally changing to Fall, which means crisper days and cold-to-us weather. Flip flops are being put away and clogs are coming out. There’s rain!! Talk to anyone out here, and they’ll tell you we need it.
It looks like all of the apples have been picked, and the u-pick season is coming to a close. I made it just in time to get a bunch of fresh cider (surprisingly hard to find in my area) and a few too many pounds of some gorgeous apples for baking. Mostly, it was about getting that cider, though.
November 18th is National Apple Cider Day, which gives me all the warm fuzzies. There’s a Hard Cider Day too, but today is about the cold-pressed, straight-from-the-orchard bottles, frozen solid to sustain a long car ride home to the city.Of course I bought too much to fit into the fridge. There’s a remedy for that though, and it’s caramel sauce.
Apple Cider Caramel Sauce will not bring about world peace, but if you make some in time for Thanksgiving and drizzle it over a fat slice of pie, it could possibly make it to Aunt Betty’s mouth before she says something inflammatory about a) your outfit, b) sexual misconduct in DC and Hollywood, c) Trump d) all of the above.
Apple Cider Caramel Sauce
1 cup apple cider
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, cold, sliced
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (this is optional, but if your cider doesn’t have much acid in it and you want a bit more zing in your sauce, this helps)
In a 3 qt. heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, bring the apple cider to a boil. Allow it to reduce to 1/3 cup. Add the remaining ingredients and bring back up to a boil, stirring constantly. Allow it to boil for an additional 2-3 minutes (keep on stirring). Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve warm, and eat with reckless abandon.
