Promoting a vibrant, localized economy!
Fall 2014
Skramstad Designs
Rekindling lost art forms
St Clair Suspenders Better design=better fit
Poppin’ Good!
Patriot PopsTM organic popcorn tastes like popcorn should!
Minnesota products and more! FALL 2014
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Need Something Printed? Make It Minnesota is here to help! We are pleased to provide a wide variety of print materials - all printed in southern Minnesota!
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Editor’s Note
New beginnings are an exciting and daunting time in everyone’s life. Some of these are practically scheduled for us: start school at the age of 5 and graduate high school at 18. Others shift and move with the irregularity born out of the great variations of experiences in our life: marriage at 17 or 70, college graduation at 22 or a freshman at 50. Some new beginnings are planned for and waited and watched for held in the future out of reach planned to perfection but never beginning at all. Other new beginnings come unexpected and are yet embraced with the wholeness of our beings, perhaps the first child or maybe the fifth. This page, this article, this magazine represent a new beginning for my wife and I. It is one of our dreams and more; it is our tribute to others who have set out to realize their dreams. We are Minnesota born and raised and have enjoyed what this great state, though at times imperfect, has had to offer. As small business owners ourselves, we are seeking to shine light on some of the hidden treasures of Minnesota: men and women of all ages that have started on a journey: individuals at the very beginning, others well along the way, or maybe making a new beginning each day. Thank you all for being here at our New Beginning.
Benjamin Matzke
Benjamin Matzke
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Contributors Publisher/Editor Benjamin Matzke Production Manager Leah Matzke Print & Web Design Leah Kurth Megan Poehler Contributors Keri Lanhorst Nancy Schlueter Leah Matzke
Copyright All images contained in Make It Minnesota are subject to copyright of the artist, illustrator or photographers as named, but not limited to. Reproduction of any part of this magazine without prior permission is prohibited. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. Disclaimer The views and comments expressed by the writers are not always that of Make It Minnesota. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of the information in this publication, Make It Minnesota accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions or resultant consequences, including any loss or damage arising from reliance on information in this publication.
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Benjamin Matzke was born on the 4th of July - 70 days. He loves the Minnesota outdoors and enjoys a trek into the boundary waters whenever possible even in a chilly winter.
Leah Matzke is wife to Benjamin and loves waking up in the fall to a small town that smells like smoked goodies due to two small, local meat markets. A mother of 4 children, she loves watching them learn and grow. Hobbies include camping, graphic design, and raising goats & rabbits. Keri Langhorst currently lives on a farm near Lake Madison. She has a B.A. in Communication from Bethany Lutheran College. She is a wife and a stay at home mother with 2 small children and enjoys spending time outdoors with friends and family.
Nancy has lived in St. Clair, Minnesota for the past 34 years. She is an active community member, serving as an election judge, participating in economic development plans, and working towards making St. Clair a walkable, intergenerational-friendly community.
Leah Kurth - Designer, illustrator, and allaround art nerd. Nigh graduated migrant from central Wisconsin, currently living in Mankato, Minnesota. Loves mangoes, fresh air, and geekery. Habla espa単ol.
Photo by Jesse Rider - taken at the serene Minnesota Boundary Waters. The canoe you see here was 100% made in Minnesota by Jesse Rider and is our featured photo! Have an iconic Minnesota photo you would like to share? Email us at photos@makeitminnesota.com for a chance to get featured!
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Contents
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06 Top Picks:
Announcing Minnesota’s Marketplace
08 Featured Small Businesses
Stories from around the state
11 Northwest: 16 Northeast: 20 Central: 24 Southwest: 28 Southeast: 32 Metro:
Skramstad Designs Trestle Inn Papa Bear Apiaries Patriot Pops
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St. Clair Suspenders Phoenix Designs
36 Minnesota Kitchen:
Home-style Apply Sauce
38 Classifieds
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Make It
Minnesota
Marketplace
Top
! s k c i P
Your Product Here! With the launch of our all new Minnesota Online Marketplace we are excited to see what you create and try it out! Each month our favorite ten products will be selected from www.makeitminnesota.com and featured in our upcoming quarterly issue.
Don’t miss this opportunity to share your creations with a localized, Minnesota community and increase exposure for your brand. Listing is free and easy - just visit www.makeitminnesota.com and click on the “sell” button to get started. All listings are reviewed to ensure a quality shopping experience for our visitors. We look forward to seeing your unique products and Making It Minnesota with you!
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Promoting a vibrant, localized Minnesota economy
Your online community to SHOP & SELL Promoting a vibrant, localized Minnesota economy Minnesota Made Products Your online community to SHOP & SELL Minnesota Made Products
Your online community to Promoting a vibrant, localized Minnesota economy
be part of a minnesota marketplace
SHOP & SELL
Your online community to Promoting a vibrant, localized Minnesota economy SHOP & SELL Minnesota Made Products
Minnesota Made Products
no start up costs or listing fees be part of a minnesota marketplace
Your online community to SHOP & SELL Minnesota Made Products
be part of a minnesota marketplace
no start up costs or listing fees be part of a minnesota marketplace
be part of a minnesota marketplace
no start up costs or listing fees
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Visit us online today! www.makeitminnesota.com facebook.com/makeitminnesota FALL 2014
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Minnesota Made! Stories from Across the State Minnesota is host to a variety of businesses - large and small - that are dedicated to producing quality products close to home. Each business has a unique story to share, and in the following pages you’ll find six from across the state. Enjoy!
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Northwest
Northwest
From Moorhead to the Lake of the Woods, the Northwest area features many of Minnesota’s largest lakes which contribute to the fishing industry of the area, and the headwaters of the Mississippi. Today, the Northwest offers a variety of goods and trades that are unique to this historic region, which includes art. Turn the page to enjoy the work of this region’s featured artist - Rod Skramstad - who creates truly one-of-a kind works.
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Northwest
Rekindling Lost Artforms
Rod Skramstad Alexandria, MN
by Leah Matzke
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od Skramstad is Minnesota artist with a passion for working with wood and rekindling long lost art forms. Browse through his work and you will find yourself surrounded by truly one-of-a kind art. Skramstad’s medium of choice for his artwork is wood and has been for as long as he can remember. “With my background of 27 years as a cabinetmaker and co-owner of a custom cabinet shop, I still enjoy working with wood and it seemed natural continuing to work with wood after the cabinetmaking years were done,” says Skramstad. Though he has a lifetime of experience working with wood, Skramstad started his “artistic” pursuits seriously in 2007. Skramstad says, “As I was approaching the end of my working career and selling out of the business, I was faced with the big question….now what? I have an awesome 1100 square foot shop full of woodworking equipment so I kind of had to stick with something I knew. So I prayed! I spent hours searching the internet for “different” ideas of things I could do. The problem was that there was a lot of everything out there and I wanted to go in a direction that wasn’t “common”. At this point while still looking for the “big different”, I started painting with acrylics, something I hadn’t done since high school. One day I came across a site selling lath art kits (craft stuff ). I started researching lath art and found very little, but just enough to feel led. Finally a “lost art form” that I could jump into that not many people had ever heard of or had ever seen before, come up with my own designs, be my own expert and follow my own rules on how I wanted my pieces to look. So that is how I started with Lath Art.” Skramstad branched out to other genres of artwork from there, seeking out “the obscure” or seemingly “lost art forms.” Skramstad
says, “Pyrography seemed a bit obscure also so I started looking into it, bought some equipment, and took to it. The decoy carving was again something that struck me as being a bit different. Everyone carves ducks, but to make a working decoy that is lead weighted, using steel for fins, oil painted bodies and to be able to come up with a vintage or unique look seemed to be a good challenge. Routed boxes, reclaimed frames, rustic carvings… I guess one thing seems to lead to another pretty quickly.” Skramstad knows how to get the look he wants while saving materials. Skramstad explains, “I really like to “recycle” or use reclaimed material which seems to lend itself well to the primitives that I create. I try to create pieces that look like they have been hanging on the wall, or sitting on a shelf for 50-60 years. The use of rustic materials (materials that most people would see as waste) seem to add to the charm or authenticity of what I am trying to achieve.” The most challenging part of Skramstad’s work is pleasing himself, which he explains by saying, “I guess I am a bit critical of what I do. I want my work to be different and unique and not what people are used to seeing. “Skramstad’s hard work is rewarded every time a piece comes together and he can share it with those around him. He loves it when people say, “I have never seen anything like that before,” whether it be for a good reason or not! Skramstad goes on to say, “I am stoked when people ask if I will be coming to a certain show or when contact is made from a gift shop asking if I would show in their store or when people say they saw my stuff and Googled me on the internet…and when someone actually is willing to part with their hard earned cash for some of my work, well that’s just gravy. I give credit to my Lord for any positives coming my way!”
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When asked if he had a favorite piece from his collection, Skramstad responded, “The next one I do. There’s always something about the new one”. Skramstad likes to “change it up” to keep his artwork interesting and with a “new twist”. He is currently focusing on some fish themed pieces for some upcoming sportsman shows he may be attending. Apart from being an artist, Skramstad enjoys a wide array of hobbies and activities. He says, “Being a grandpa is probably my favorite thing. Traveling with my wife, motorcycling, doing outdoor stuff, snowmobiling, taking care of our place, pontooning on area lakes, trying to teach myself to play the guitar, and trying to cook (my wife never complains!).” Closing comment from Skramstad? “I like to be creative. Good thing I’m retired!’”
“Happy Trees” Made from recycled lumber (saved from the landfill=happy trees)
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Northeast
Northeast
The Northeast region features the urban areas of Duluth and Hibbing all the way to the Boundary Waters and Grand Portage region. The Northeast has a rich history of the Iron Range which is still an influence today. Lake Superior gives part of this region its coastal culture. The North Shore has many of Minnesota’s iconic landscapes and structures, which reflect local communities. Nestled away within the adventure is Trestle In Restaurant & Saloon, this issue’s featured business of the region.
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Trestle Inn Restaurant and Saloon by Nancy Schleuter
When is a train wreck a good thing? When you can order one from the menu, have it delivered to your table by an award-winning server and have a portion of the proceeds go to an excellent community cause – that’s when. Need a little more explanation? FALL 2014
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do not get a say in the matter. Well, that’s sort of true. If you are allergic or afraid of a particular food, the cook will definitely skip it. (You can ask about the ‘afraid’ part when you get there.) Your Train Wreck with Casualties is guaranteed to be a one-of-a-kind gastronomic delight unlike any you have ever eaten before. It may come surrounded by grilled cheese sandwiches. Perhaps it will be adorned with a fried egg or two.
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irst off, this whole scenario starts at the Trestle Inn restaurant and saloon. Tucked into the Superior National Forest, less than an hour from Silver Bay, the Trestle Inn is a favorite stopping spot for hunters, snowmobilers, hikers, and vacationers of every persuasion. Their menu is packed with all of the usual hot-off-thegrill favorites that Minnesotans have come to love. Plus, there’s the one-and-only ‘Train Wreck’. The Train Wreck is a gargantuan burger creation that starts out normally enough with the basic building blocks of a traditional bottom bun, hamburger patty and cheese slice. Add to that a bratwurst patty, followed by another slice of cheese and top all of that with bacon strips and the remaining bun.
Look closely at the Train Wreck in the photo. Yep, that’s eggs and grilled cheese sandwiches added to a burger that already breaks all the rules. If you are lucky, your burger-behemoth will be brought to your table by none other than ‘The 2012 Best Server on the North Shore’ – as voted on by the readers of the North Shore Hwy 61 newspaper. “The Best Server on the Shore? That’s our Robb!” chuckled Trestle Inn owner, Sue Butler. “We all know that he’s a great guy, so it was extra nice to have him recognized that way in the paper.”
Serve it with a piping hot side of fries that have been seasoned with ‘a little love’ – and it all adds up to one mighty big meal. Which should be enough for most folks, unless they happen to like living on the daring side of things. Then it is a simple matter of ordering a ‘Train Wreck with Casualties’. What are Casualties? Well it’s pretty much whatever the cook darn-well feels like adding to your burger. And no, you
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Here’s a guy that survived (make that enjoyed) a Train Wreck!
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And how does Robb feel about being named Best Server? “I was surprised to get the award,” Robb grinned. “Especially considering the Trestle Inn isn’t exactly ON the shore. But hey, what do I know? I just like to see people have a great time.” And a great time at the Trestle Inn often starts with a Train Wreck. How many Train Wrecks get served at the Trestle Inn? Well, as a Best Server, Robb just happens to know the answer to that question. “In the past two years, we’ve served nearly two thousand of them. The reason I know is that the Trestle Inn donates one dollar from the sale of each Wreck to the local Rec Center in Finland – the director keeps a tally for us,” remarked Robb. “Get it? Eat a Wreck for the Rec. It’s kinda hokey, but it works!” The Rec Center’s official name is the Clair Nelson Intermodal Transportation Center. It is run by the nonprofit organization, Friends of the Finland Community. The nonprofit’s Executive Director, Honor
Schauland, comments on the donations easily – “The Trestle Inn rocks! Those dollars are much needed and appreciated, our projects are varied and designed for enhancing life here in Finland.” So, the next time you are craving a burger, head north. Take a cinematic drive up the north shore, find your way to the Trestle Inn and get prepared for your own personal Train Wreck! Please visit their website at www.trestleinn.com
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Central
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The lakes in the Central region provide a great tourism industry as well as a variety of goods and services. However, there is a long history of agriculture in this area, which also features city communities like Saint Cloud and Brainerd. The plethora of wildlife also contributes to the character of this region - which includes the honeybee, the star worker of this fall’s featured business Papa Bear Apiaries.
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Papa Bear
Apiaries by Leah Matzke
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his business is sweeter than honey - well, sweet as honey because honey is their business.
Papa Bear Apiaries is operated by four partners, Jeff Lueck, Dale Lueck, Ken Lueck, and Tim Hoeft. Partner Jeff Lueck says they all share the workload and have a good time working together. When asked how Papa Bear Apiaries came to be, Jeff reminisced “My brothers and I had been kicking around the idea of growing honey again for some time - our grandfather raised honey for family and friends and my wife’s grandpa raised bees as well.
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Central Then one day my brother called and said, “You serious about those bees?’’ He had found three hives at a garage sale and I said, “Why not?” Now, six years later, Papa Bear Apiaries has 70 hives spread across central Minnesota and this year’s crop brought in 3,000 lbs of honey. Getting to that point did not come without its costs though. Jeff recalls, “When we first started we invested $1,000 and at the season’s close got 48 lbs of honey. My brother’s wife joked we should call the
Guests at the Bee Fest Open House watching the extracting process.
Partner, Tim Hoeft standing by the wax separater with emptied hive boxes behind him.
A few frames that have gone through the decapper and are waiting to be loaded into the extractor.
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operation “Fools Gold Honey”. After some serious consideration, the group came up with Papa Bear Apiaries as the business name and have grown large enough that they not only have sold out the past few years, but also have been able to support an open house. Although the first year they were in business Papa Bear Apiaries ended up not having enough honey to sell, by the 3rd year their supply was large enough to start an open house, which they started four years ago now. It has become an educational and entertaining event for the community. “We set up all the equipment and extract half of our honey early and then for the actual event we do most of the rest so people can see how it is done,” notes Jeff. He continues, “this year we had a great turnout with over twice the amount we had last year. People are interested in the bees and want to know how things are going.” Last year, Papa Bear Apiaries produced 2,250 lbs of honey and they sold out in just two months. Jeff recalled they had to turn away buyers in the winter months because they sold out so early. Many customers in the area have told Jeff and Renee that they buy their honey because they know it is locally produced. One of the reasons this is attractive to buyers is that the honey is produced from the pollen of local plants, which they believe helps with allergy problems. This year, Jeff and Renee hope they will have all their honey sold in about three months and they plan to continue to grow steadily with demand. “If the market is there we will keep growing,” Jeff said with an eye toward the future.
Honey frames going through the decapping machine. The upper frames (white) are capped honey. The machine cuts off the wax capping to show the honeycomb (lower frames).
Storage units that hold the honey prior to bottling.
Central When asked for closing thoughts, Jeff gave a plug for supporting local honey growers across the state, “If you care about the decline of honey bees and you can’t raise bees yourself, support your local bee keepers by buying honey. They are the ones keeping the hives alive.” Papa Bear Apiaries sell bulk honey in the fall while supplies last. If you are interested in learning more about Papa Bear Apiaries you can email them at: jeffandreneelueck@msn.com.
Honey: A Tip From Renee Lueck Raw, pure honey will crystallize depending on sugar content within six months. Do not refrigerate and if it does crystallize do not microwave. This breaks down the healthy enzymes/attributes of the honey. Instead to soften your honey to a spreadable state again boil water and place honey in that to liquify. Renee has grown up around honey growers and shares that for her producing honey has been an enjoyable activity with family and friends. Partner, Dale Lueck operating the decapping machine.
Papa Bear Honey Team: left to right - Jeff Lueck, Dale Lueck, Ken Lueck, Tim Hoeft.
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Southwest
Southwest
Much of the Southwest area of the state is agricultural oriented. If you like wide open spaces you’ll enjoy a drive through the region, which in addition to the large field expanses has the Minnesota River to provide the landscape with bluffs and valleys. Here near Lamberton, Minnesota you will find the family farm of Patriot Pop’s Popcorn, a grower with a product that is both colorful and delicious!
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oppin’ Good! by Keri Langhorst
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atriot Pops is an organic popcorn that is packaged with red, white, and blue kernels by Tiffany and Ryan Batalden. Patriot Pops is named in support of the military. A portion of their proceeds go to help disabled Veterans. The farm is nestled in Southwestern MN. The seeds are planted along with field corn to help protect the more fragile plant from the harsh southwest MN wind. The kernels are then harvested in the fall along with the corn. Tiffany started the business 3 years ago by planting one acre. The first year she harvested 3,500 pounds and sold all but 50 pounds! Each consecutive year she has added an acre. Her business is slowly growing. Tiffany states her biggest challenge has been exposure. She currently sells her popcorn at the St. Peter Food Coop, Sioux Falls Coop, and Cash Wise. She would like to sell her product to more businesses. Tiffany is participating in her first Trade Show called Midwest Pantry to gain exposure. Hopefully, with more publicity and the demand for local foods her popcorn will “pop� up in more grocery stores! Organic is very important to Tiffany and her family, something that they take very seriously. Their family farm has been certified organic since 2004. She enjoys that she can bring an organic quality product to the table for her children and her customers. Her family works really hard to maintain sustainability while being able to produce high quality foods. Tiffany is able to package and sell her product while still being able to take care of her three small children. Her husband
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and children are able to help Tiffany as well. The kernels are packaged in a licensed kitchen in Walnut Grove and the label is printed in Marshall, MN. If you’re looking for a tasty treat that is grown locally you can pick some up at several locations that carry Patriot Pops. Otherwise, you can order from their website: patriotpopspopcorn.com.
Patriot Pops At The White House! Ryan & Tiffany Batalden were honored as a “Champion of Change” by the White House on Tuesday, July 29th, 2014. This program recognizes farmers working to build a strong foundation for the next generation of farmers in our country. They were also recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). While at the White House the Bataldens got to share their story, where they discussed their work of keeping the family farm running and of course their growing popcorn line “Patriot Pops Popcorn”
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Southeast
Southeast
From Red Wing to Rochester, the Southeast region is famous for its bluffs and the river valleys of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. These rivers provided transportation that helped commerce and agriculture grow in this region. Hailing from St. Clair, Minnesota, this fall we feature a unique business offering a product as hard working as those wearing them - St. Clair Suspender Company .
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St. Clair
Suspender Company by Nancy Schleuter
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t. Clair Suspender Company understands gravity. Specifically the kind of gravitational pull that seems determined to separate your pants from your body. At the most awful times. With witnesses. Not a good thing. Enter retiree, Gary Larson. Gary has worn suspenders for multiple decades and has complained about them for most of that time. Why the complaints? “Well for starters,” explained Gary, “most suspender designs include metal clips. Those clips are real upholstery wreckers. They are especially hard on leather car seats.” “So, my first goal was to design suspenders that didn’t have any metal on them,” he continued. “Plus, I am no fan of elasticized suspenders. They are fine for holding up pants but there is always tension, which results in achy shoulders. That made my second goal to be a suspender design that was free of elastic.” That’s when a eureka moment happened for Gary. “Well, really it is simple change but it makes all the difference in the world.” chuckled Gary. “I just added a slider in the back of the suspenders. Moving the “X” up or down on the back allows custom adjustment for shoulder width or slope. And that makes wearing suspenders much more comfortable.” Gary’s suspender design also takes advantage of the wearer’s belt and belt loops to provide slide-proof stability.
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Simply by choosing the location of the lower back straps the suspenders can adjust to either the classic ‘x’ or ‘y’ configuration, whichever is more comfortable for the wearer.
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“One other nice thing about wearing suspenders with a belt is that the belt can be loosened a bit and your pants will still stay put, “said Gary. “That’s really important if you’ve ever had any abdominal surgeries that can leave tender areas, even years later.” Currently the suspenders are available in a variety of designs. The work-style are 1.5” width and weigh in at a beefy 9 ounces. The black formal-style are a slim 1” width and work easily with lighter weight belts. The St. Clair Suspender Company is truly a cottage industry. Gary assembles and sews the suspenders in his home workshop. His wife, Nancy, handles the website and marketing end of things. For more photos of the suspenders in real life action or to purchase a pair, please visit the St. Clair Suspender Company’s website at www.stclairsuspender.co
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The Minneapolis/St.Paul cosmopolitan area is bursting with art and commerce. Many of the nation’s largest companies are based here along with thousands of small businesses. As a region is well-known for its art culture it is fitting to explore the unique and beautiful artwork of Phoenix Designs in the following pages.
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Just as the mythical Phoenix is given new life when enveloped in a burning flame, so is the copper jewelry of Phoenix Designs, created by artist Pamela Smith and springing to life with an array of stunning, naturally occurring colors. Smith, who calls herself “the copper jewelry lady” is selftaught. She explains, “I just got myself some copper and played around until I came up with a method that works for me. I don’t know if my method is the same as others – probably similar. I do know that my stuff looks different from others I have seen.” The unique nature of Smith’s work has been perfected over the years. “I’ve been making copper jewelry for over 18 years. The first pieces I produced we pretty ugly, but over time I improved.” she explained with a laugh. “You learn what works.” Smith had worked with other mediums in the past, including leather and silver, but soon found copper to be an ideal medium for her jewelry. “I love working with copper” Smith explained. “I love the heat aspect that creates such pretty colors…colors that are natural.”
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Smith creates the basic form for her jewelry starting with copper and shaping it, either with a die cut or by hammering it to shape herself. When asked how she choose what shapes to make, Smith replied, “I like nature and so I just do what I like – picking shapes that are available. I am always looking for new shapes and also for what people ask me for. “ Smith’s favorite pieces are the leaves she makes. “Most of these are ones that I hammer and take all the way through the process myself,” said Smith. Once the shape is created, she brings it to life with the touch of a flame from her jewelers torch. Smith explained her process like this, “It is like a painter choosing a different brush, I adjust the flame size by adjusting the gas mixture (oxygen & propane) which changes how the colors are created on the piece.”
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Once the colors are how she likes them, Smith ads a layer of lacquer to protect the piece and prevent the colors from changing. When asked what the most challenging part of her process is Smith answered, “To get distinct colors. It is sort of a layering process – you need to be careful so you don’t end up with a muddy mix but with patterns that are bright and clear.” Her work not only provides a challenge, but some nice rewards too, which Pamela pointed out by saying, “I just really enjoy making them. It is rewarding when customers come back year after year to a certain show and tell me about the number of compliments they have received. I love the feedback. It is good to make something that people actually can use and wear.”
character as well. Everyone at the fair is kind of playful.” In addition to making colorful copper jewelry, Smith enjoys other metal arts. “I have a new technique I am working on involving both copper and bronze – I melt bronze on the copper and it creates a lichen on a rock like look. Smith added with a laugh, “I also do Bronze sculpture, it is my mental therapy and a whole different process.” Smith also enjoys playing the drums, something she used to make and sell. Smith’s closing thoughts encourage others to try new things and have fun, saying, “Even if you haven’t taken a class just get the materials and play around and see what happens. Just keep things playful and have fun.”
Smith spends a good amount of time on the road selling her jewelry. “I travel to lots of craft shows and Renaissance Festivals throughout the year.” One of Smith’s favorite places to set up shop is at the Minnesota Renaissance festival in Shakopee, MN. “I like selling at the Renaissance fair because it gives me a break from all the travel. I have the same shop in a building for the full fair length. It is fun to be in
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Minnesota Kitchen
by Leah Matzke
Foley Food Mill:
Home-style Applesauce Although I grew up in a home where apple pie and dessert was no stranger to the table, one thing we never made was homemade apple sauce. I was introduced to this treat last fall by a friend from church and our family is hooked! Upon trying this affordable and flavorpacked fall treat it will be difficult to put store-bought applesauce in the shopping cart again. And it is pretty simple to make too! For this dish you will need apples (preferably from a friend with apples to share, as I found was especially the case this fall as Minnesota experienced a bumper apple crop), a large pot, a stove top, a sieve, cinnamon, sugar, and freezer bags.
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1: Wash your apples and core them. Coring can be done with an apple corer/segmenter or with a knife. The great thing with apple sauce is you do not need to peel the apples, just cut out the cores to remove the seeds (they can affect the flavor) and then put entire apple slices into the pot. 2: Cook the apples. Take your pot and fill it 1-2 inches deep with water. Then fill the rest of your pot with your apple slices and turn it onto high, stirring occasionally. When boiling, reduce the heat and let the apples simmer until they’re soft enough to easily stick a fork through. 3: Sieve the apples. I did this by using a handcranked Foley food mill I inherited from my grandmother (see sidebar). To use put your sieve over a bowl to collect the apple sauce. Then scoop the hot, cooked apples into the sieve and crank to push the apples through, separating the flesh from the peels and leaving you with apple sauce in the bowl below. I enlisted the help of my daughter for this step. 4: Add sugar and cinnamon to taste. Depending on the variety of apple you may not need to add any sugar. My family has a bit of a sweet tooth so we added about a 1/4 cup of sugar to a 2 quart batch.
Foley Food Mill: This handy appliance was manufactured in Minnesota in 1926 by the Foley Manufacturing Co. of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Although the company no longer manufactures food mills and I have not been able to locate one in stores, it can be found at antique shops and at swap meets or garage sales. Keep your eyes open and try to snag one, they work great and make it easy to let kids help in the kitchen.
5: Serve warm or store in refrigerator/freezer. Most of the homemade apple sauce I make has a hard time making it into storage. If allowed our kids would eat it as fast as we can make it. That said, when making large quantities freezing for later months in quartsize freezer bags works great. 6: Enjoy! Making your own applesauce can be a great family event and although it takes a little time and effort, when it hits the table everyone is sure to enjoy your labors.
Tip:
Make it a family affair and enlist the help of your kids - just be sure and watch them close or they might snitch!
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