Photo credit: Jill E. Nauman
(Note: I kept getting interrupted while updating this post so forgive its forever changing content. I do believe I am done now.)
We had assorted loved ones come visit this weekend and Apple Hill was on our itinerary. We spent the day driving through the pretty, curving roads of Camino. Stopping when a particular apple vendor or orchard caught our eye. The weather was incredible and it would seem that the rest of California decided to come along on our trip. It was so crowded.
Boa Vista Orchards is always first on the list. It is one of the larger, more popular places. Overly crowded but they do have the best apple butter in town. Also a large variety apples and pears to choose from.
There are also pies, caramel apples, fritters – the mind boggles. I succumbed and had an apple cider donut.
We also stopped at Jack Russell Brewery for a beer and a sandwich. After lunch we headed back down the hill so we could prepare our fall-themed dinner.
We started with Gingered Carrot and Pumpkin soup made by my niece, Pork Roast made by moi (fool-proof recipe and I don’t even eat pork), Mushroom Bread Pudding made by my sister (from the Best of Cooking Light cookbook – it was so incredibly good I wanted to eat it all by myself and not share any with my guests), freshly made applesauce (sister again) and finally pumpkin pie topped with gingersnap struesel (also made by my sister – boy I got off easy this meal). It was a fun, collaborative effort. I love cooking with my family. We just move in synch together in the kitchen and can anticipate each other’s needs.
I always mean to take photos of the table when it is all set and the food laid out but I forget and next thing you know our chins are smeared with mushroom bread pudding, the kitchen is a disaster and the only food left is not fit for photographing.
Here is a set up shot before we served the soups. I love these little bowls. My mother gave them to me a couple of years back and I make sure to bring them out every Fall and used then at least a couple of times.
