Austin native Callie Salls made a name for herself as one of Fort Worth’s favorite meal-delivery chefs. She later added a grab-and-go culinary store; her custom cheese-and-charcuterie boards were popular long before they became ubiquitous. The birth of her son, the death of her father and personal health issues prompted a pivot a few years ago. Salls sold her businesses and moved back to Austin with her family in 2024. She also focused more on clean eating. Today, she shares many of her recipes via her website, and her first holiday recipe e-book is available at www.calliesalls.com. Salls’ versatile fruit spread is her take on apple butter. Spread it on a slice of sourdough toast or spoon it on Greek yogurt and sprinkle with toasted walnuts.
For our easy version of apple butter, we use unpeeled fruit and toss all the ingredients in a slow cooker. It livens up our oatmeal and pancakes and is excellent as a dip for cheese and crackers.
WRAP IT UP Package spreads in tightly sealed jars. Add a small antique spreader along with a small loaf of sourdough
FRESH PEAR AND VANILLA BUTTER
Makes 4 cups
3 pounds ripe pears, peeled and cored
1 lemon, zest and juice
¼ cup maple syrup
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus more for garnish
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste (you can substitute scraped seeds)
Chop pears into rough cubes and transfer to medium sauce pan. Add lemon juice and zest. Add remaining ingredients, tossing to coat.
Simmer on medium-low heat for 45-55 minutes, until pears have softened.
Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until desired consistency (smooth or slightly chunky).
Spoon into containers, top with nutmeg and refrigerate.
APPLE BUTTER
Makes 3 cups
12 medium-size apples, cored and sliced
¼ cup apple cider vinegar or water
¼ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ginger
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch sea salt
Place apples and water or vinegar into a slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients and stir.
Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. The liquid will reduce and the mixture should be very soft and dark in color. Taste and adjust seasonings. After cooling slightly, use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return puree to slow cooker set on high for 1-2 hours, uncovered, or until it reaches desired thickness.
Spoon into glass containers and refrigerate.
