i have always like apples. even back in elementary school when i went through my phase of not eating the fruit my mom packed me for lunch (this may have gone into middle school even), i always ate my apples. there was a good chance you would find a banana, oranges (sliced or whole), peaches and even grapes in my backpack, but you would never find an apple.
of course i don't like all apples. red delicious apples have nothing positive to offer. unless my opinion of them have become biased based on the apples the college dining hall often provided - so red and whiny, but waxy and mealy tasting on the inside. not worth my time. but offer me a macintosh, golden delicious, granny smith, gala, rome or jonagold and i will eat it.
i have always liked apple picking. the beautiful fall foliage, the crisper temperatures, the apple picking pole, apple cider donuts. what's not to love? add to that the man i love (on his knees), an engagement ring, and a sweet proposal and now i absolutely love apples and apple picking.
not only do i love apples and apple picking, but i love apple cider. this past sunday jay and i were invited to an annual cider day up on middletown, ny to the home and property of his friend jesse's aunt and uncle. for over thirty years family and friends have been getting together on the sunday of columbus day weekend to pick their apples (this year they were mostly picked off of the ground) and turn them into apple cider. it was a beautiful day with delicious food before we headed down to the apple trees. the kids rode down in the old truck, collected apples in buckets, and filled up the back of the bed with apples ready to be pressed. then children (and adults such as jay) took turns turning the contraption which would mash up the apples. another crank pressed the apples down, squeezing out the juice for the cider.
