For the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—though we love to try new dishes, your post doesn’t have to be a recipe. We’re pretty relaxed over here, and stories and photos are as welcome as menus and recipes. When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the button to include with your post. It ties us together visually. Then fill in the boxes of this linky tool to join the fun!
Food on Fridays with Ann
Last week I missed posting Food on Fridays. Leaving no story, no linky, no explanation of any kind, I simply fell silent.
Well, I broke my blog.
I couldn’t access my WordPress dashboard, so I was unable to publish anything at all—not even a brief explanation of my silence—leaving you stranded. Please accept my apologies and know that I was doing all I could to sort it out. After poking around on my own, I gave up. I called WordPress specialist Chris Cree, who has transferred annkroeker. writer. to EmmanuelPress.com. Thanks to his expertise behind the scenes, I am up and running again. (And, backed by EmmanuelPress tech support, I won’t be able to break anything.)
I’m so happy, I wanted to bake a cake or something and welcome you back with a party, but we’ll go the healthy route instead as I share with you my late-summer backyard surprise.
We planted two tiny apple trees last year—Fuji and Honeycrisp—in hopes of enjoying a tiny crop of fruit this fall. These trees are so slim and twiggy, they look like long marshmallow roasting sticks. Nevertheless, in April these slender stalks exploded with spring blossoms bursting open with promise.
Many of the blossoms evolved into round fruit that we watched, dreaming of a generous crop. Then, a spring freeze destroyed all of the fruit on the Fuji and most of the fruit on the Honeycrisp.
This summer we marveled as the surviving Honeycrisps plumped up and matured. Just last week, we harvested the apples—all four of them—from that one stalwart tree.
I brought them in and set them on the counter. “Let’s cut up one to share,” I proposed. My daughter was bouncing with anticipation. I was grinning like a kid as I sliced it in half. Then quarters. I cut out the seeds and then reduced them to slivers. We counted them up and divided by six.
“Prepare yourself,” I warned, “because it might not be ripe. I don’t know if they’re ready, so it could be tart if I picked them too soon.”
She nodded, and we lifted them in the air and tapped the slices together like wine glasses for a toast. “Here’s to homegrown apples!” I proposed.
“Here, here!” my daughter shouted.
Then we each took a small bite of our slices, faces pinched as we prepared for a burst of tart.
Sweetness. Our faces relaxed into the sugary sensation that spread through our mouths, surprising our taste buds.
“It’s so sweet!” I exclaimed.
“And crisp!” my daughter added.
We ran through the house to the other kids and their dad, holding out their portions. “Try this!” we said. One by one, they delighted in the realization that our tiny little trees produced such a delicious treat.
In our own back yard. Apples. Sweet, crisp, edible apples.
* * * * *
Photos by Ann Kroeker. “Pin” these images in a way that links back to this particular page, giving proper credit.
Smaller button for various uses
I might break my blog this weekend. I have decided to write a short post and leave a message on my Facebook Page letting people know my intentions. 🙂 I’m glad you were able to get everything resolved!
My apple tree is so full the branches are almost touching the ground. I can’t wait to harvest them all and start working with fresh homegrown apples again!
Oh, you have some changes taking place? Good idea to warn people of that possibility in advance!
What a picture of abundance: of an apple tree’s branches almost touching the ground. Sounds beautiful. Full.
I am so happy you are up and running. Our apples did not do well this year. Perhaps it was the weather or not enough water. Apple Betty (or apple crisp) is our favorite way to have apples for desert. No crust, just apples and a topping of 2/3 cup flour 2/3 cup quick oats, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cube butter, mixed and crumbled on top of the sliced apples you have placed in an oblong baking dish. bake 45 minutes at 350
Hazel, I was downright lonely when I couldn’t pop in and interact with you and everyone else! Love your Apple Betty dessert–I’m on my way to the store in a few minutes and will pick up the extra apples for this. Making it tonight!
So glad you’re back! I missed your blog when it was down.
Look at you–a real harvest! And a sweet one at that.
I didn’t realize how much I missed blogging until I couldn’t do it!
I’m glad I have other avenues to interact with people. And the harvest? It’s certainly modest, but oh, so sweet!
Hi again, I entered (Last week’s story) as a second entry. Hope by now everyone realizes you are up and running!
I’m trying to pop around and visit some of the people who have linked up in the past weeks, but I guess it takes a while to earn back trust!
And I love that defrosting story–glad you linked it!
So glad your blog is working again, and thanks for visiting mine. I was hoping you would be back so I could link up, and now I have.
Yay! So nice to see you here, Elisa!
I’m living vicariously through your fruit tree success. A squirrel or some other vandal peeled ALL the branches off my baby pear tree last spring. Trying to get the guts to try again (maybe a family apple tree this time) but need to research how to critter-proof it first.
Hmmmmm…..squirrel-like critters can get up and over and around and through almost anything. Maybe there’s a spray that would discourage them? I have a big dog in the back yard. Maybe he’s keeping them away?
So nice to see you here again. And I love those apples. We have a big old tree full of Granny Smiths every fall – love it. They make the best applesauce. Hmmm….maybe we should look into planting a Honeycrisp – they’re one of my favorites.
The Honeycrisps lived up to their name! I’d love any kind of tree, though, from Granny Smiths to Jonagold, doesn’t matter. They all have their place–like you say, for applesauce or Apple Betty, every apple can nourish.
How fun to have a mature tree. One day, in 20 years, ours will be full of apples, too, I hope!
I’m so glad you are back, Ann! I’ve linked up my post, but as I’m away from my desk I haven’t included a link back yet (I’m borrowing my husband’s laptop so I can’t access my site). I will update the post to include a link back as soon as I can.
I am so happy that your apple tree produced such gorgeous fruit. A small harvest is always extra special, especially when it is such a delicious one!
You are always such an encouragement–I visit your site and wish I could leave a comment to let you know how much I appreciate you.
Thank you so much, Ann! What a lovely compliment!
It may not be too long until you can leave comments on my site. I am (finally!) having my site re-designed, and hopefully in a few months the new look will all be up and running!
How exciting!
Thank you for linking your amazing recipes week after week!