M.F.K. Fisher: J is for Juvenile Applesauce

In An Alphabet for Gourmets, Fisher takes a different approach than other gastronomic volumes in going through alphabet. It's not "A is for Apple, B is for Borscht" (page 575 in TAOE) but rather "A is for dining Alone, E is for Exquisite, F is for Family, I is for Innocence." Sometimes basic, sometimes deeper, but always with thought-provoking thoughts on her topic and usually with recipes, sometimes crazy ones.

That said, there are not any good recipes in The Art of Eating which begin with J. So I turned to J is for Juvenile where Fisher describes feeding her daughter and discusses her mother's applesauce. So that is why I chose to make applesauce for my son for my J recipe.

It was easy, peel Rome apples, boil, let cool, then puree. I should note that Fisher says applesauce should be lumpy and "never, never, never pureed." I am feeding a 6-month old. I pureed it. I also did not add the pat of butter that made the applesauce prepared by Fisher's mother "the best applesauce I have ever eaten."

For myself, I did add some vanilla and cinnamon. Next time I eat it--which will be soon since I have so much now, including a jar of organic applesauce--I will add brown sugar and cinnamon. The time after that, maybe some lemon zest. If I have lemons.