Apple Picking...

Winesap Apples

Our annual apple-picking trip to Carter Mountain Orchard was late this year. We missed the Peaches this year, but did get to enjoy some divine Apple Cider and Apple Cider doughnuts. We picked Pink Lady Apples and Winesap  Apples, though Stayman,  and Fuji were also available. The Pink Lady or orchard was almost picked over; more fruit on the ground than on the trees. Out of reach meant a lot of fun watching young and old figure out how to pick some!! Beautiful sunny fall day, with a steady crowd up and down the mountain, rows of plump metal lined along the orchards. Long lines for the Apple Cider  doughnuts and other goodies on sale.

Delicious Apple Cider Doughnuts

Granny Smith Apple Raita

Apple Raita with cummin

This was made with the ingredients at hand, which had to be used immediately, with a favourite spice, cummin. Feel free to use just one: either yogurt,  or buttermilk. I would not use sour cream alone mainly due to texture and taste, instead would  'thin' it out with water or buttermilk or whey.

The flavour of cummin predominates and makes this raita a good accompaniment for single-pot rice dishes: meat and vegetable pulao's and spicy biryanis.

Ingredients

1 Granny smith apple, finely cubed

1/2 cup of sour cream

1/2 cup of yogurt

1/2 cup of buttermilk

1/2 tsp of toasted cummin seeds, apinch for garnish

1/2 tsp of red chilli flakes, apinch for garnish

1/2 tsp salt

Method

Beat the yogurt, sour cream and buttermilk into a smooth mix.

Add salt, crushed summin seeds and the chilli flakes into the mix

Add the finely cubed apple and mix well.

Serve with a garnish of red chilli flakes and cummin seeds.

This goes to the Weekend herb blogging event # 265.

Route 60, Apple Lady

The Apple Lady,

James Anderson Highway,

Route 60

Cumberland County

Route 60 at this time of the year is beautiful! Even in late October a major part of the Route is a beautiful multi-colored fall foliage exuberance!

Our annual trip through Route 60 is never complete unless we take turn into the The Apple Lady's house and  buy our quota of fresh unwaxed apples, jams and seasonal produce! There are other farms offering produce like Davis Apples a little beyond The Apple Lady if one is driving towards Buckingham County.

The Apple lady was out selling apples and fresh produce at the Powhatan Fair, so we were helped by the Apple Lady's cheerful husband!

Several types of Jams and preserves: Pineapple, Peach and Strawberry, Raspberry and Pineapple Jam, Salsa, Pickled peppers, Concord Grape Jam, Peach and Apricot Jam.

Home-made yummi-ness!

Once you open a bottle, you need to refrigerate it and finish it soon!

Won't be that difficult!

Apples were all .80cents/lb, fresh and unwaxed from the mountains nearby!
Gala, Rome, Wine Sap, Pink Lady, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith....

Even if the Lady and her husband are not at the produce stall, an honor system allows you to pick and weigh the produce and leave the amount behind !