This past fall, I was finally able to attend some awesome events for New York's Cider week, a celebration of all things malus domestica, organized by Glynwood. A talk by the founder and owner of Original Sin, at Bierkraft, showcased many heirloom cider apples. Most were familiar; some, such as Dabinett, which was bittersweet with a texture like freeze-dried ice cream, were not.
The event I was most excited about occurred at Jimmy's 43, an excellent beer and cider bar and restaurant located in a cozy downstairs location. I had read about Andy Brennan, the owner and cider-maker at Aaron Burr cidery and was excited to hear what he had to say about making cider. A proponent for using wild fruits and vegetables whenever possible, he told us about walking through the woods to find local wild apples, and about how their taste, and nutrients, are like nothing growing domestically. He sat with us around a small table and I was mesmerized by his views and his quiet, almost shy nature, that belied the passion he has for he subject. He did tastes of apples from his area, and then a peary cider pear. The skin was so tannic, my whole mouth went dry from the tiniest piece, but the flesh inside was sweet and juicy, almost impossibly so. Of course, no event was complete without a taste of cider. These hard-to-find and costly ciders are worth the hunt. They're like nothing else that's being made out there. Johnny Appleseed would have been proud.
One of my most treasured seasonal activities is pick-your-own. In the summer, it's blueberries, strawberries and blackberries, all of which is backbreaking work that promises a sweet reward once you're out of the burn causing sun, and peaches, which always offer more bounty than can be consumed fresh. In the fall, it's apples and pumpkins, which have always been my favorite.
This year, my apple picking ritual was slightly changed up, as my sister and I took our dad to Pennings Orchard, an amazing apple orchard owned by a friend's family in Warwick, NY. Unlike many orchards, with their rows of apple trees and not much else to offer save a country store with the same tired, ubiquitous items for sale, Pennings has a community feel. There was a country store, but also a restaurant, beer garden and chickens, whose eggs are sold locally. There was also a hard cider made at the nearby Warwick Valley Winery, producer of Doc's Draft ciders.
