Monday, July 23, 2012

Dreaming Bakeapples

15 comments:
 
Hello my lovelies!

Here we are... entering the LAST week of July!!!! C.R.A.Z.Y. The summer is wizzing by far too quickly for my liking I think. This applies fully to this past weekend. It blew by way too fast. This is probably because I scarcely sat down the entire weekend!!! Bakeapple season has arrived here on the Island a whole 2 weeks early!!! So the push was on to pick as many as possible within two days before the whole lot went to mush.

Now some of you probably think that you know what a bakeapple should look like based off the name. The truth is names can be deceiving. Bakeapples are these wonderful little titbits of juicy-ness. 


Yup that's a berry. The closest thing I can compare it to is a blackberry in terms of size and shape. Although they generally don't get quite as big. I really haven't the slightest clue as to why they're called bakeapples simply because they taste nothing like a baked apple. However, I digress... that is their name and so it shall be :)

Either way, these berries are what you call a hot commodity in Newfoundland. Going for $50+ a gallon. There are a couple reasons for this: 

(a) Some years there are none
(b) Some years they are sparse
(c) Time to clean all the berries (we're talkin' hours of 'shucking' the leaves and 2 water baths)
(d) The FLIES (they'll suck you dry given the chance!)

and not to mention this:

(e) 

and this:


(f)


This is the terrain one must navigate to reach the treasured little berries. We call them the barrens. Damn beautiful and a sight to behold and doubly hard to traverse.  To say every inch of me is hurting right now is a tremendous understatement. I feel like someone could snap me in half mearly by poking me... BUT, it's all worth it firstly, for the time I was able to spend with my grandparents and secondly, for the berries. 

My Nan in particular anticipates berry picking season ALL YEAR LONG. SO how could I possibly say no when she called me up at work (something she rarely does) and asks me to go with her!!! I excitedly agree to go and thus there I was on Saturday looking like a chic trucker with my pants tucked into my rubber boots, a slight sweater (the less surface area exposed the better... flies, need I say more?), and of course the token trucker hat emblazoned with 'Labatt Blue' on the front. Now that trucker hat is important! I didn't wear it just to look amazing ;) It helped to keep the sun out of my face and the flies off my head, this is very important considering the sun was blazing both days with temps reaching 25+ degrees C. Thankfully, the wind was gusting away at 50km/hr, which was a god send. It allowed us to keep cool and kept most of the flies at bay. 

life saving hat look-a-like
I'm tellin' ya - I was a beauty in this get up hehe.

So off I went over the barrens and we picked, picked and picked to our hearts content. We managed to pick 7 gallons between the both of us from 2pm Saturday to 4pm Sunday. 

Here's the final product after all the picking, shucking and washing!

Bath Time!
All packed up and some in the pot waiting to be made into JAM :)

I'm very proud and will no doubt be seeing bakeapples in my sleep for the next week or more. Now I'm off to make some jam and some bakeapple cheese cake :) :) :)  YUMMMMMMMMMM. Don't YOU wish you were in my kitchen NOW lol!

OH and before I go, I did manage to get a bit of stitching in believe it or not! I finished off the stitching for my upcoming exchange (now just to finish it off) and started this gem from my previous exchange with Loretta. I've got plans for this one too ;)



You know... I've just realized I really do keep myself very busy don't I? AH well, it's all a bit of fun isn't it ;)

Ciao for now,

Melissa

15 comments:

  1. o.k. i am so jealous here. living in alberta up in the fort - not a bakeapple in sight. my family and i would pick these too. you r so right when you say valuable. my mom so looked forward to this every year. lol and yes the flies! i almost forgot that. gosh, enjoy that cheese cake and take one tiny bite for me too? loving your stitching canada project. looks great. Have a sit a spell, you deserve it!

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  2. Hello Melissa,
    Thank u for stopping by my blog dear. I truly appreciate your kind comment.
    Those baked apples look fantastic. I love the colors in them. The only baked apples I've know of were baking apples in the oven.
    Although it sounds picking the baked apples a lot of work, amidst the flies and all, it is apparent you cannot trade being with your grandmother for the world. Spending that type of time leaves a lifetime of memories. Don't you think?
    TFS and I enjoyed reading your post.

    Jackie

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  3. Wow those baked apples looking wonderful and sweet stitching too ..
    Keep well dear xxx

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  4. What a wonderful post! I really enjoy hearing about where you live and the bakeapples.
    Sweet stitches too.

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  5. Thanks for sharing Melissa. I had never heard of bakeapples before. You must have a tough Nan. If you felt so worn out, how must she ache?

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  6. What do bakeapple taste like? Well done you and an extra well done to your Nan.

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  7. We don't have bakeapples in SW Ohio. I wonder what they taste like? They are so pretty to look at. I love the new start!

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  8. I just got an education! Never heard of bakeapples!

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  9. The berries look absolutely delicious. I've never heard of them before this. (I love my blogger friends cause I learn something new almost every day.) Sorry you're feeling as though a mere poke would do you in, but if I could do it with either of my grams, I totally would. (Both died, so I have none left.) Glad you enjoyed the time with yours. It's priceless.

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  10. I've never heard of a bakeapple in my life, but I'll bet they are mighty tasty! Well done--all your hard work paid off and you will enjoy those tasty berries all winter :)

    Cute little stitching start you have, too, Melissa :)

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  11. Melissa thanks for visiting my blog, it's great to find a stitcher in St. John's, I don't know any switchers here.

    Your bakeapples are making my mouth water

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  12. Those bakedapples look like mini heirloom tomatoes! So great that you and your Nan and your Labatt's blue trucker hat went a berry pickin'!!! Love your new start too!

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  13. Very interesting. I've never heard of bakeapples before. Looks yummy! Pretty stitching too.

    Hugs,
    Veronica.

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  14. Hi

    Just found your lovely blog.

    I've never heard of bakeapples!

    Your wip is looking great!
    Happy weekend.

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  15. Oh, the barrens are beautiful! Reminds me of time spent in the Canadian arctic ~ and yes, I will never forget the flies!!
    I wish I could taste those lovely berries!

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