Crabapples

I saw recently here a few crabapple trees, with their fruits almost ripe and ready to be picked. August is the time for crabapples. We have a crabapple tree in Chicoutimi, which gives lots of fruits every two years. This year it didn't give much, but my dad sent me at my request pics from earlier years, where it produced lots. Sometimes the branches are so heavy that they break.

I miss a lot of things from my old place, in this time of year it is picking the crabapples. I mentioned the tree before. I associate it with harvest, for me it is a fruit that marks a transition from summer to autumn. Not much can be done with it as it is very sour. However, as it is high in pectine, we make great if limited use of the crabapple: we make crabapple jelly. With just enough sugar, it keeps a zesty flavour and tastes great on toasts, especially on a cold, crisp morning. And the tree in my parents' place makes enough crabapples so we can make jelly to last all year long. But even if I didn't like crabaple jelly, I would still miss this time of the year when we pick the crabapples.