Spiced Applesauce Makes 10 to 12 cups Most people think of applesauce as that blond, bland staple of the baby food aisle. I myself find it difficult to refer to this stuff as anything other than disgusting, and refuse to have it in my house. Real applesauce, the brown, spiced kind, is what I prefer, mostly because it tastes wonderful, but also because it garners compliments aplenty for the cook. All you really need are decent apples, and with today's sophisticated refrigeration and storage techniques, these are easy to find in practically any season. Of course, the recommended approach is to go out to some remote apple orchard (preferably in a sunstruck valley) and pick your apples one by one right off the tree, all the while talking tractors and fertilizer with the farmer who grew them. Failing this, your local grocery store or farmer's market will do. I like to use both sweet and tart apples for applesauce, as the most piquant applesauce is made from a mixture of the two. You may not think of applesauce as a dessert, but it is perfect for anyone wanting a change from the usual -- and it's also wonderful for invalids who don't have much of a taste for anything else. You will need a food mill for this recipe, which puts store-bought applesauce to shame. 5 to 6 lbs. (about 12) sweet apples 2 to 3 lbs. (about 6) tart apples 2 Tablespoons water 1 Tablespoon cinnamon 2 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon clove 1/2 teaspoon coriander 1/4 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon salt -- Wash apples. Remove cores and stems, but don't peel the apples; the skin adds color and texture. Put water in the bottom of a very large pot (it serves as a lubricant so that the apples don't stick to the bottom of the pan). Cut each apple into smallish chunks and toss them into a large pot. -- Cover pot and simmer over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Continue cooking until chunks disintegrate when you press them against the side of the pot. -- Remove pot from heat and stir in all spices and salt. Mix well. -- Using a food mill (not a food processor, which will purée the applesauce into a liquidy mush), grind a couple of cups of applesauce at a time. Discard the leftover solids from the food mill. Storage In an airtight container, the applesauce will keep for up to 2 weeks in the icebox -- or indefinitely in the freezer. Stir before serving. OTHER FRUIT, NUT AND SPICE DESSERTS Catherine S. Vodrey is available for freelance writing projects at: Post Office Box 835 East Liverpool, Ohio 43920 USA E-MAIL: WordBanquet@gmail.com Thank you for visiting www.WordBanquet.com!