La séthée d'nièr beurre (the black butter evening) is an old Jersey couôteunme (custom) that is somewhat misnamed as it requires longer than eune séthée to make this local delicacy. Here's one version of l'èrchette (the recipe).
Un tas d'monde (lots of people) each armed with un couté (a knife) are first set to work à p'ler (peeling) and à quarteller (slicing up) the apples.
Meanwhile, the fire is alleunmé (lit) and eune peîlée d'cidre (a preserving-pan-ful of cider) is put on to bouoilli (boil).
Douochement (slowly) the apples are ajouôtées (added). This is where lé travas (the work) really starts, because i' faut rêmuer sans cêsse (one must stir non-stop). Otherwise the nièr beurre will be brûlé (burnt). Les hommes (the men) – and these days les femmes étout (the women as well) – take turns to r'muer using lé rabot (long-handled stirrer). The long handle of the rabot is important to avoid les êcliatchies (spits) of the boiling mixture. La r'mueûthie (the stirring) continues for eune niétchie (a night) and then eune journée (a day).
Eune heuthe (one hour) after lé drein lot d'pommes (the last lot of apples), des limons (lemons) are added. And then trais heuthes (three hours) before lé nièr beurre is ready, the final îngrédgiens (ingredients) are added: d's êpices (spices) and du ricolisse (liquorice).
There's a test to find out when la rêmueûthie can stop, eune tchul'lée (a spoonful) of mixture is put on eune assiette (a plate). When it's sticky enough so that eune tchulyi en bouais (a wooden spoon) pressed into the dollop can lift l'assiette, lé nièr beurre est prêt (is ready) to be poté (put in pots).
Bouôn appétit!
1958
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