Apple Tea

"Day by day, in the untamed wood, In a space by the river reeds,
He cleared the land for a nursery, And planted his apple seeds.
Without a hope of recompense, Without a thought of pride,
John Chapman planted apple seeds, And preached, and lived, and died."

from "The Ballad of John Chapman"
by Benjamin Wallace Douglass

This verse from "The Ballad of John Chapman" commemorates the deeds of a man better known as Johnny Appleseed. He was born in Massachusetts in 1774, but later moved to Ohio. There is record of Johnny traveling on the Ohio River in 1801 with two canoe-loads of apple seeds from Western Pennsylvania cider presses. Over the next 40 years or so, Johnny Appleseed proceeded to clear land and plant apple orchards in the wildernesses of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, and Indiana. He must have dreamed of a land covered with apple blossoming trees. He planted an estimated area of 100,000 square miles, and some of his trees still bear fruit today. Johnny Appleseed died in 1845 at the age of 70.

Apple Tea
½ cup dried apple slices
1 small piece of cinnamon bark
2-3 cloves
2-3 dried rose petals (optional)
2 cups cold water
honey or sugar

Slice an apple and dry by baking at low heat in an oven for approximately one hour. Put the apple, rose petals, cinnamon bark, and cloves into a pan. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes. Sweeten as desired with honey or sugar. Strain and serve in tea glasses or cups.

Apple Trivia: Washington is the top apple producing state in the USA. France, Italy and Germany are leading apple producers in Europe. Apples are a member of the Rose family. Apples are fat free and a great source of fiber. Apples float because 25 percent of the volume of an apple is air. Apple tea is popular in Turkey.