The colors of Fall pop from the trees, the air turns to a cool crisp breeze and the smell of apples fill the air, or at least the kitchen! As Fall arrives here at Atwater’s, we begin making our homemade Apple Butter. This year, we are featuring all Maryland apples!

Our apples were harvested by the Baltimore Orchard Project and Black Rock Orchard! Each and every apple in your jar was grown right here in Maryland; about seven apples per jar, to be exact.

Each apple is unique in its own way, each with its own job. Some ensure a sweet finish, while others provide a hint of tartness. We received four kinds of apples from Black Rock Orchard in Lineboro, Maryland. The common apples, Golden Delicious and Green Apples are used for their tartness and original flavor. Fresh Jonathan apples are used for their sweetness and sharp balance. And the Smokehouse Apple is used for its fresh cider flavor.

The apples from the Baltimore Orchard Project are the Roxbury Russet, Maiden Blush and Ohio Nonpareil. The Roxbury Russet is a cultivar apple, believed to be the oldest cultivated in the United States! The Maiden Blush is perfect for cooking, dessert and ciders! It has a pale-yellow skin with a crimson blush and a sharp acidic flavor. Ohio Nonpareils have a fresh and sweet flavor that adds a perfect flavor to our Apple Butter.

Every batch is made the traditional way by hand, in small batches in the French preserve style using a traditional jam pot and local apples. First, we combine and cook the apples to make applesauce (skin and all). Afterwards, we strain each batch, add organic sugar and spices, then it’s off to the oven. The rest of the afternoon is dedicated to baking. Once the perfect caramelization is met, each batch is pulled from the oven, cooled and then hand jarred.

Looking to add a new flavor to the table? Our Apple Butter is perfect, as a side, condiment or even solo. The sweet, yet somewhat tangy and always rich flavor will enhance your holiday cheese plate, or add a new flavor profile to any meat selection.