In traditional preparations used to counteract the severe sourness of crab apples, what were they historically cooked with?
Answer
Honey or molasses
Historically, before modern refrigeration, crab apples were crucial winter stores of nutrition, but their intensity required mitigation to be consumed regularly. Communities harnessed their properties by cooking them down with natural sweeteners available at the time, specifically honey or molasses, to create a palatable, nutritious tonic. This practice served two roles: making the sharp flavor manageable and creating a dense food source that supplied essential vitamins when fresh produce was unavailable during the colder months.
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