23rd September 2024 Apple Pies, Not Quite How Grandma Made Them 😉

I get a lot of recipe videos on my social media feeds.  Many claim to be just how someone's Grandmother showed them.  I often doubt it's true.  I'm older, of course, so possibly I'm thinking of days from long ago.  My Grandma, Nanny we called her, was born more than 100 years ago.  She had a large family and undoubtedly did make pies, but I don't think they had desserts.  She would have made pastry, she didn't have a fridge, and I have seen her cooker in a museum 🥰.   Nanny had access to fresh veg because Grandad had an allotment and she kept her own hens and rabbits.  She didn't leave a recipe book, but she left a healthy brood of children.

The old apple tree in our garden has withered this year.  Although it had buds, it didn't produce any blossom so no apples.  We couldn't bring ourselves to remove it, and we'll give it another chance next spring.   I do know it will be something of a miracle if it fruits again.

My neighbour has, however,  given me a bag of apples and so I dug into the back of a cupboard for my Apple Peeler.  I've had it a few years, bought from a charity shop, and it is one of my favourite gadgets.  It works!   And it's labour saving.   I'm sure if Nanny had one, she would have loved it too.

It's stamped Lakeland, so its definitely not antique 🍎.  

Apples peeled, cored and sliced, all in one go, we put them on the hob to simmer.   No sugar, it's really not needed, but we did add a teaspoon of mixed spice.

My husband likes a pie.  I've tried to put him straight on healthy eating but pies have escaped the list of foods crossed off his list.  I bought a pie maker and we make our own.  At least I know what goes into them.  It's electric and makes two and they're not from Greggs. 

It's a Salter Pie Maker and it is simple to use.  It comes with a cutter for correctly sized pastry circles and you have to precook the fillings.  We are amazed how easy it is to use, and we're careful with portion size, you don't have to eat a whole pie, sharing is allowed 😉.  It's a treat, and surely we can have one just occasionally. 

I don't bake very often.  Let's face it, if cake is there, it's all too easy to eat it so it's best just to not buy or bake it.  I do however make vegan cakes for our grandies, no sugar, especially if there's fruit in them.  I love dates, apricots, and ginger.  I wish there were more recipes floating around without sugar.  

Occasional baking is a way of de-stressing.  Walking is my first choice, but due to the weather, that wasn't possible today.  Apologies for another Apple Pie, but I felt it had to be posted 😅.  

I won't apologise for saying yet again that TTP is not related to Cancer.  It keeps coming up, and I keep trying to explain.  TTP is an Autoimmune condition.   There's a link to the TTP Network on my blog.  Early Diagnosis Saves Lives.  It's so important.  TTP is an extremely rare disease,  there is no cure but there is treatment if picked up early.  It's an emergency.   No dithering.  TTP is not to be messed with.

Enjoy your Apple Pie.

❤️🍎