I have 3.5 gallons on crab apples that I am 'hopefully' making into vinegar. I chopped all of the crab apples in quarters and filled my gallon glass jars about 3/4th full, then filled with water. I put about 1/4 cup of sugar in each gallon (I dissolved the sugar in the water first). I also put a weight in each one to keep the crab apples under the water level. They have been sitting in my basement for 1 week now. There is a scum forming on the top of each one. It is starting to smell slightly of vinegar. I am not really sure how long to let them sit, or if I have done everything right. If anybody has any other recipes or info, please share!

My favorite way to use crabapples is to make Crabapple butter, it's spicy with cinnamon, a bit tart from the crabapples, we like it as a condiment with all kinds of things especially ham! Crabapple Butter 6 cups (1.5 L) sieved crabapple pulp Grated peel and juice of 1 orange Optional 2 cups (500 mL) sugar (for every 1 cup of pulp, add approximately � cup of sugar or to taste) 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon, optional (sometimes I put in a cinnamon stick or 2 and remove them before processing) 50 to 60 cinnamon red hots Pick crabapples, add water (about � the volume of the crabapples) simmer on medium until apples are soft. Combine pulp with orange peel and juice in a Dutch oven. Place over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and boil gently, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until mixture thickens to desired consistency. Stir in sugar and spices, if desired, and return mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Ladle into hot sterilized half-pint (250 mL) jars, leaving ü inch (6 mm) headspace. Remove air bubbles with a narrow rubber spatula or plastic knife. Add additional crabapple butter, if necessary, to maintain headspace. Wipe jar rims thoroughly with a clean damp cloth. Seal and process in a boiling water bath. Process for 15 minutes

jkom, that's funny, my mother loved pickled pigs feet, and their similar product, pickled pigs knuckles. The person who taught her to eat them? My Aunt Amy, whose real name was Yoshiko and who came to the States with my Uncle Chuck, he met her and married her while he was in the service stationed in Japan. I always liked liver, although I seemed to be an oddity among my friends for it. I still like liver with bacon and onions, although I seldom eat it now on the advice on my doctor. Peppi, all of those things are also available here, and none are considered particularly odd. In fact, Jiffy muffin mix is made here in Michigan, and I've always got canned salmon, canned sardines and canned smoked oysters in the pantry. I don't particularly like the oysters, but Elery loves them. I don't really like headcheese much either, truthfully, but I can get it and I've eaten it. Ashley still likes the Mrs. Grass' chicken noodle soup in a box as well as the Vienna sausages in a can. So, although I'll eat liver and headcheese, I think "non-dairy creamer" is weird, how can it be creamer, but be non-diary? I haven't figured out yet what exactly Cool Whip is, but my brother eats it frozen, like ice cream. Annie

Well the best laid plans. First of all I DRANK the apricot brandy, and boy was it yummy! I combined it with a glass of dry white wine and a cinnamon stick and nuked it until warm. It was like exotic mulled wine. I have got to make some more apricot brandy! And I was in serious denial about the shape of those pears. After making the cake (yum) and cutting out all of the brown spots from the rest, I had about one pear's worth. So I mixed it with apples and made apple sauce to can. I made that in the crockpot, easy peasy. Thanks for the tips!