The key ingredient in most high end hard ciders, particularly French and British ciders, are a variety of crab apples. Beware of their astringency, but through experimentation on the variety you have access to, you can figure out the levels of sugar you'll need to make them palatable. I'd do like the cider makers do, and mix in some regular apples to whatever you're making.
Mexican ponche - hot christmas punch, kind of like cider, often calls for tejocotes (mexican hawthorne). Crabapples are the perfect substitution in those delicious drink recipes.
Mama used to make the best sweet and spiced pickled crab apples from our trees at home. They were delicious. Saw a bunch of recipes at cooks.com and food.com. Find one that meets your taste! I don't have Mama's recipe to share.
They make excellent apple cider, or as they call it South of the Border: Hard Apple Cider. Also fantastic apple mead.
In the old cookbooks (pre 1920s) there are quite a few recipes for crabapples, but they all involve cooking them a long time, like for jellies, chutneys, &c. I'm guessing it's something to do with texture, taste or digestion - not certain which, can't wait to find out.
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In the old cookbooks (pre 1920s) there are quite a few recipes for crabapples, but they all involve cooking them a long time, like for jellies, chutneys, &c. I'm guessing it's something to do with texture, taste or digestion - not certain which, can't wait to find out.