Tuesday, November 11, 2008

November 11

November 11 is not only a day to honor all veterans, but also the first day of Indian Summer and the feast day of St. Martin.

  • Veterans Day marks the World War I cease-fire in 1918. The U.S. Congress changed the name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day in 1954 to honor and celebrate all veterans who have served during peace or wartime.
  • Remembrance Day in Canada is a day primarily to honor veterans who have died in service to their country. Traditionally, poppies are worn in remembrance.
  • St. Martin is the patron saint of soldiers, tailors, and drunkards. Martin’s feast day coincides with the annual migration of geese in some parts and can be celebrated with a goose dinner.
  • Indian Summer is a period of warm weather following a cold spell or hard frost. For more than 200 years the Almanac has adhered to the saying "If All Saints brings out winter, St. Martin's brings out Indian Summer." Indian Summer can occur between St. Martin's Day and November 20.

Indian Summer Applesauce


  • 4 quarts (1/2 peck) apples
  • 3 or 4 purple plums, pitted
  • 2 cups sugar
  • juice from 1/2 to 1 lemon, to taste
  • cinnamon
  • nutmeg

Wash and quarter apples and plums. (No need to peel or core apples.) Place in a large pot and add 2 cups water. Cover and boil until apples are soft and the peels are falling off. Add sugar.

Simmer another couple of minutes, until sugar is dissolved. Pour by small amounts into a food mill or other sieve, and press out the applesauce, discarding peels, seeds, and cores. Stir lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg into applesauce.

The Farmers Almanac

4 comments:

Unknown said...

ingsti
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It soundsnolike it would not only taste wonderful but also would make the house smell so good!

Unknown said...

sorry about typo's trying to mulit-task here :)Have a great day. Lisa

Linda said...

Thats ok Lisa....I do the same thing.
Let me just say...Thank God for spell check! It's not that my spelling is bad,(sometimes) it's all the typo's when I'm in a hurry. lol

Carole Burant said...

I didn't realize that Nov. 11th also marks the start of Indian Summer...see, I learn something new every day through blogging! hehe It's funny that you should post an Applesauce recipe because that's what I made this morning, along with an apple pie:-) xoxo