For the first time in three years, the apple trees below my house are loaded with apples. This prompted me to go on the search for a recipe for apple butter. That I know of, no one in my family makes it. So I did not have a recipe. What to do?

First I picked the brains of my friends Angela White-Tragus and Brent Cox. The two of them are masters of all things canned and preserved. Between the two of them, I got a base recipe. Well what happened next is pure accident and amazing apple butter born out of inspiration from a gal from Texas and a British chap from Bath.

R is for Rachel

My friend Rachel Lee Waldop is the first source of inspiration. A fellow Texan, we share a love of music, cocktails, Southern food and stories about little old church ladies. Every season, Rachel and her husband Dave have a “go-to” cocktail. Two years ago, they had family in town for Christmas. One night they found themselves on the plaza here in Santa Fe. It was freezing outside so they decided to have “fancy” cocktails in a hotel. The drink Rachel had that night turned into that winter’s cocktail. The cocktail was called Chimayo Apple Cider. (Chimayo is a small village north of Santa Fe). Rachel translated her fancy drink into apple cider, cinnamon sticks and rum served warm. That winter we drank more than our share of this cocktail.

J is for James

James…writer, rocker, professor and inspiration number two. James and his wife Hannah make up the band Venus Bogardus.  I met them as they spun tunes at a local bar. For James’ birthday last year, I found out he’s a huge fan of rum. Now rum and I are not friends…I blame the head-to-head collision I had with rum in college but that’s another story. So when James came to my house, I got him a bottle of rum to drink. Spiced rum, of which James managed to handle 80%, and then the rum sat waiting for them to return.

Fast forward to apple butter. I had the base recipe. When I sat down to figure out how to give it a kick, the idea of Rachel’s cocktail and James rum were just the things I needed. So I had to name the apple butter for them. What follows is the easiest recipe for apple butter ever. Plus it makes your house smell amazing as it cooks.  It’s great on homemade bread or toast.

By the way, you can check out James and Hannah’s band at:

https://www.facebook.com/venus.bogardus.7?ref=ts

and you can buy James’ novel I, JUDAS at your local bookstore or online at:

http://www.amazon.com/I-Judas-A-Novel-Paperback/dp/B0084JN5RE

RJ’s Crockpot Apple Butter Recipe

Ingredients:

-approx 20 med and large apples, all varieties

-2 cups apple cider or orange juice

-1/2 cup spiced rum

-2 Tbsp cinnamon

-1 tsp nutmeg

-1 tsp cloves ground

-1 cup brown sugar

Directions:

1. Peel, slice and core apples. Place all slices into crockpot.

2. Add the rum, apple juice (or orange juice), spices and brown sugar.

3. Simmer in crockpot on low for 8 hours.

4. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and puree mixture in a blender or food processor in batches.

5. Transfer puree back to crockpot.

6. Remove lid and heat on high for 30 min to an hour until thickens.

7. You can add additional brown sugar at this point if you want butter sweeter.

8. Once butter has thickened (you can test using the cold saucer test), put in hot sterilized canning jars. Place lids and rings on jars.

9. Process all jars immediately in a hot water bath for 15-20 minutes.