But earlier this week my favorite local farm sent me a message that this weekend the Honeycrisp apples were ready for picking, they were only telling their newsletter subscribers, and they would probably be picked out by the end of the weekend.
Have you ever had a Honeycrisp apple? They're expensive, but once you try one it's hard to go back. We planned to go. Anna and I tried to salvage apples from the leaning towards the house, wild apple tree in our backyard. To no avail. That tree is coming down and making me some nice smelling firewood. So we got over not being able to eat or bake with ANY of the apples on our tree and went to pick some at the farm.
We picked Honeycrisp of course. But those are designated eating apples. For the other stuff, we picked 2 other New York varieties, Cortland and Empire. And Anna insisted on apple cider.
We came home and made caramel apples, applesauce, and a French apple pie. I felt like Mrs Teaberry in Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears (Anna and I even tried our own version of Mr. Putter's slingshot method for downing apples). We had our own little apple party.
It sounds weird, but I was cheered up. One of my favorite things is picking local fruit in season, and then coming home and fixing up the bounty. We did it with strawberries in the spring, blueberries and blackberries this summer, and now the apples (and I'm hoping to get to fall raspberries soon too). I think it's just the rhythm we are naturally programmed to follow. It's deeply satisfying to go get the fruit right off the tree, bush, plant, and eating it ripe and ready while its here, then waiting until next year until that fruit is ready again. Not that I never buy apples or strawberries out of season. But not in the same way. We don't plan meals around them, and I don't make pies out of them. They don't taste the same, and I don't experience a connection to the season. Or anything or anyone else.
When we try to force things into the wrong time, it doesn't reach the same level of perfection. We think it will be fabulous to have "fresh" strawberries in January, but it's not at all the same thing as what happens in early June.
Michigan season is over for us for now. It's New York's time in our lives. I get my Michigan cravings every now and then, but I do think New York has a lot to offer.
1 comment:
Honeycrisp... my absolute favorite. can't get them down here. love, love, love them. they always taste perfect... just crunchy enough, just sweet enough.
so jealous.
sounds like a perfect weekend to me... it's still 90+ here!
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