Autumn 2013: Japanese Maples

The foliage color of Japanese maples has been nothing short of spectacular, getting better and better with each passing day. I’ll let the trees speak for themselves:

I’m equally captivated by maples that possess beautiful bark color, form, etc., so I’m going to devise a lecture — and blog posts — focusing on outstanding cultivars for the home garden. Stay tuned.

For now, I’m thinking about Thanksgiving and I’m delighted to share my recipe for cranberry sauce. It’s so simple and delicious you’ll never used canned again.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Combine in a saucepan two cups of sugar and one cup of water. Bring to a boil without stirring. Cook this syrup for 5 minutes over medium heat. Meanwhile, wash 1 lb of raw cranberries, add them to the syrup and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until they burst. Then, remove the pan from the heat and stir in one-half cup of apricot jam and one-quarter cup of fresh lemon juice. Chill the sauce. Makes about 1 quart. I usually double or triple the recipe because it stays well in the fridge and it’s versatile—wonderful on toast for breakfast or with chicken for dinner. And, if you are feeling generous, spoon the sauce into pretty jars and give them as gifts. Enjoy!

Note: For another great Thanksgiving idea see my November 13, 2012 post, “Superstorm Sandy & Rosa Pretty Lady”

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A Garden Blog by Lois Sheinfeld

Autumn 2013: Japanese Maples