Sunrise, Ginger Gold, Ambrosia, Honey Crisp, Paula Red, McIntosh, Cortland… nothing heralds the beginning of our favourite season, more than the red, green and yellow hues of orchards, their trees hanging with ripe fruit. There is no better place to experience apple season, than Southern Georgian Bay. Despite the new challenges faced and a different experience from the past, we continue to enjoy supporting our local farmers and businesses. Many of the locations visited offer online purchasing and curbside pick-up. On our excursions, we purchased a wide variety of apples and are enjoying using them in our autumn recipes. We leave you with a few recipes to prepare. Spy Cider House and Distillery To the Core: 808108 24th Sideroad, the Blue Mountains, Ontario. This beautiful, cider house and distillery, is located a few kilometres south of the town of Clarksburg, with intermittent sign posting. Apples to Apples: Modern and inviting, this cider house and distillery offers the opportunity to sit out on a very chill patio or alternatively, at tables located in the adjacent fields, near an orchard. On occasion, live music, adds to the amazing ambiance. The interior of the cider house is stylishly designed, providing views of the copper still used in the production of their line of spirits. Spy’s three ciders, Golden Eye, a premium dry cider, Never Say Never, their organic estate cider and Crimson Tide, a black currant infused dry cider, offer something for all tastes. In addition, the distillery, also carries a broad range of apple and pear spirits such as Dr. Yes, an organic gin and Our Man Piers, an apple-based vodka. This cider house is definitely worth a visit! spydistillery.com Windswept To the Core: 137282 3rd Line, Meaford, on the escarpment, just outside Thornbury. Signposts found closer to the cidery. Apples to Apples: Upon arriving, we drove down a lane that provides access to this picturesque hundred-acre parcel, where the outdoor tasting facility is located. We were welcomed on separate occasions by Mark Skinner and his wife Courtney, both of whom had careers in the culinary arts and farming, prior to creating this wonderful, craft cider house. We were given the chance to sample their delicate, refined, single-variety ciders, which were unique to Windswept. These included Northern Spy, Crimson Crisp and Golden Russett ciders, in addition an organic Lost Orchard Cider, which is a wild, foraged, heirloom apple vintage product. We enthusiastically purchased one of each of their beautifully labeled and delicious dry ciders to accompany our fall inspired meals at home. windsweptcider.com Duntroon Cyder House and Dunridge Farms To the Core: 3079 County Road 124, Duntroon, Ontario. The farm is clearly sign-posted with a large garlic bulb, as they also grow a variety of garlic, found just north of Duntroon. Apples to Apples: Our visit began with a warm welcome from Kimberley, co-owner with her husband, Tim Schneider. After an introduction to Duntroon Cyder House’s line of ciders, we were ushered to a lovely gazebo, situated by a serene pond. Serenaded by a chorus of bullfrogs, we were treated to a sampling of Net Zero, their organic, dry Ontario-style cider, Standing Rock, an off-dry, classic English-style cider and, Raindance, a delicious, off-dry, rhubard-infused cider. These samplings were accompanied by some locally-sourced cheeses. We were very impressed with the story of this cider house’s development and greatly enjoyed the range of ciders available. They were an introduction to the delicate, dry, effervescent cider style that is common to many of the craft cideries we encountered. duntrooncyderhouse.com Grey & Gold Cider Company To the Core: 788171, Grey County Road 13, Clarksburg, Ontario. Apples to Apples: This award-winning cider house, is located down a lane, with a barn and outdoor sampling area, near a 6-acre orchard containing 1700 trees. The twenty-nine different varieties of apples found in the orchard include many varieties unique to this farm. We were met by David Baker, the engaging and enthusiastic cider maker, who introduced us to their broad range of cider styles. Samples available included Modern Girl, a sparkling, modern-dry cider, with green apple flavours, Heritage Dry, a dry English farm-house-style cider, produced from Northern Spy and Golden Russett apples and Northern Gold, a semi-sweet heritage cider, made in a French-style. Again, in speaking with David, we were reminded of the amazing stories behind the creation of each of the craft cideries we visited. greyandgoldcider.com Beaver Valley Orchard and Cidery To the Core: 235853 Beaver Valley Road (Grey Road 13), Kimberley. Apples to Apples: This cidery and orchard consists of an original farmhouse and a visitor’s centre, housed in a beautifully renovated historic, post and beam century barn. We were able to sample at a well-organized, outdoor facility. Ciders on offer demonstrated beautiful effervescence, bright acidity and a dry, delicate house-style. Among those sampled were Flagship, a very dry, crisp blend of five varieties of heritage apples, Bumbleberry, made with heritage apples infused with a variety of berries, rhubard and grapes, and one of our favourites, Ginger, a refreshing dry cider infused with fresh organic ginger. We all imagined pairing this with our favourite Asian cuisine. We were very impressed with the high quality of these ciders and the innovative nature of their products. bvcider.ca Thornbury Village Craft Cider House and Brewery To the Core: 90 King Street, Thornbury, Ontario. Prominent red-brick cidery, that greets one as you enter the town of Thornbury. Apples to Apples: This historic facility, has been producing award-winning craft ciders and beer since 2006. The cider house and visitor’s center provide a large patio, well designed for sampling outdoors. Their ciders include Thornbury Premium cider, a traditional English cider, Cranberry Apple Cider, with a natural sweetness, tartness and vibrant red colour, as well as a Spiced Apple Cider and Wildberry/Elderflower infused Apple Cider. All of these refreshing ciders can be enjoyed throughout the year. thornburycraft.com In addition to the cider houses visited, we also discovered a number of Georgian Bay wineries that included ciders in their ranges of products. Coffin Ridge Winery, Georgian Hills Vineyards, Muskoka Lakes Winery and Heritage Estate Winery and Cidery will be featured in the coming months. Apple Orchards and Markets One of the many joys of living in, or visiting the Southern Georgian Bay region, is the opening of apple season. The area around the Blue Mountains is home to some 7,500 acres of apple orchards, producing a wide array of apple varieties and products. On our journey, we visited Oakdale Farm, at 496445, Grey Road 2, Clarksburg, Ontario. Appletop Farm, for organic apples, 416476, Line 10, Clarksburg, T & K Ferri Orchards & Apple Market, at 496415, Grey Road 2, Clarksburg and Goldsmith’s Orchard Market located at 207600, Highway 96, in Thornbury. All of these orchards followed social distancing protocols and offered a wide selection of ripe and delicious apple varieties. To complete our day of exploration, we ventured to the village of Heathcote to visit, the Blackbird Pie Company, located at 108 Main Street. The aroma of freshly, baked pies and tarts filled the air of this family-owned bakery. We purchased a number of frozen pies, made with local fruit, to bake at home, and were impressed by the friendly staff we encountered. blackbirdpie.ca We used the “Apple Pie Trail” app, coupled with our own familiarity of the area, to discover dozens of apple-related businesses. We were, again, amazed and impressed by the enthusiasm, inventiveness, knowledge and dedication of the people we encountered, which is so characteristic of our region. ............................................................................................. Visiting the many cider houses and orchards of Southern Georgian Bay gave us more than ample inspiration for recipes to be enjoyed during the Autumn season. The culinary heritage, in our area, of incorporating apples into both savoury and sweet recipes is to be celebrated. Spiced Apple Hand Pies When I think of fall, I think of apples and all of those warm autumnal spices. This version plays upon the traditional apple pie recipe with a twist. It is perfect for beautiful, individual platings served with ice cream (vanilla or maybe some decadent maple walnut). Its flaky crust is substantial enough that it can be easily packed into a beautiful basket or container and shared with family and friends. It is a convenient and fun way to enjoy apple pie on a fall walk or picnic. Ingredients For the crust: 1 1/2 cups Cake and Pastry flour 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 2 tablespoons Williams Farm Granulated Maple Sugar ¼ teaspoon each of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and allspice 1 cup cold, unsalted butter (I like to put it the freezer an hour before baking) 1 egg 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar ½ cup buttermilk For the apple filling: 5-6 apples peeled and cored (approximately 3 cups) 1 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 2 1/2 tablespoons butter ⅓ cup maple sugar 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon ½ teaspoon ginger ¼ teaspoon each of allspice and cardamom A pinch of nutmeg and cloves 1/2 teaspoon salt 3-4 tablespoons water For the egg wash: 1 egg 1 tablespoon milk or cream A pinch of salt Maple Glaze (optional): 1 cup confectioners’ sugar ½ of a cup McCutcheon’s Maple Syrup Instructions For the crust: Cut the cold butter into 1 ½ cm chunks. Combine dry ingredients including all purpose flour, cake flour, sea salt, maple sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and allspice. Whisk together egg, vinegar and buttermilk. Cut butter into the dry ingredients until butter is well distributed and still in large chunks. Turn onto a surface and use your hands to press the butter into the dry mixture. Butter chunks should be flattened throughout the flour mixture. Form the dough into a flat disk and cover with plastic wrap. Place the dough in the freezer for half an hour or in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour. (You can refrigerate it overnight.) For the filling: While the dough is resting, you may prepare the filling. Cut apples into sections and slice each section into thin pieces. Coat apple slices with apple cider vinegar to prevent browning. In a small bowl mix together the maple sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom and salt. Evenly coat the apples with the maple sugar, salt and spice mixture. Melt butter in a skillet and add the apple mixture. Add 3 tablespoons of water and gently saute the apples until they are softened, but still hold their shape. Depending on the moisture content of the apples, you may need to add a small amount of water. (The apple mixture should retain some juice at the bottom of the pan). Let the filling cool. To assemble hand pies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Try to avoid adding extra flour to the dough. Roll the dough to a thickness of approximately 2 cm. Next, fold the two sides inward to join at the centre. Now fold it in half. Roll the dough again, this time to a thickness of approximately 5 mm. Cut into 12cm squares. Use a parchment paper template as a guide. Use a small apple or leaf cookie cutter to cut out small decorations from any remaining dough scraps. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the centre of the hand pie. Fold over to form a triangle shape. Brush the egg wash on the edge and join the sides to form a triangle. Use a fork to gently crimp the edges. Use a paring knife to cut 2 or 3 small vents at the top of the pies. Brush the surface of the pies with the egg wash. Attach a decoration and brush it with egg wash as well. Place hand pies on a parchment covered cookie sheet and place in the freezer for 20 minutes. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown. Maple Glaze (Optional): Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup. Either dip the hand pies into the glaze and let dry on a baker’s rack or drizzle the glaze over the hand pie. If you want to reheat the hand pies, glaze them after they are reheated. Special Instructions: Here are some ways to modify this recipe. Use a large apple or leaf shaped cutter to make an interesting pie shape. Use other spice combinations that you may prefer. Add lemon or orange zest and berries, cranberries or currents. Add your favourite type of nuts. Chai-Spiced, Apple Crumble Ice Cream This ice cream is one more way of celebrating our wonderfully delicious, local apples. We suggest that you break the steps down, by making the ice cream base and crisp on the first day and apple mixture and assemble the ice cream on the second day. This will allow for ingredients to cool down. Ingredients For the Crisp ¼ cup almond flour ½ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup brown sugar ½ cup Williams Farm Granulated Maple Sugar (optional-granulated sugar) 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats ½ cup slivered almonds ½ teaspoon Kosher salt ½ cup unsalted cold butter ½ teaspoon ground cardamom ½ teaspoon ground allspice ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger For the apples: 4 cups cored, peeled, sliced, Appletop’s McIntosh and Paula Red organic apples or your choice; about 5 apples; a variety of types preferable for added flavour) 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ cup McCutcheon’s Maple Syrup ¼ water or more depending on moisture content of apples chosen (optional: orange juice or apple cider) For the ice cream: 2 cups whole milk 2 cups heavy cream 35% 1 cup brown sugar (divided) 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla 6 large egg yolks For basic caramel topping (optional): 1 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup heavy cream ¼ cup of unsalted butter 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla Instructions For the crisp: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit on a sheet pan. 2. In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, maple sugar, rolled oats, almonds, salt and all spices (cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, ginger). 3. Cut the butter into chunks and add to dry ingredients. Either using your fingers or a wooden spoon, combine ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 4. Add the crumbs to parchment covered sheet pan. 5. Bake for 15- 20 minutes, until browned. During baking, occasionally stir the crumbs so that browning is even. 6. Allow the crumb mixture to cool completely; break up into smaller pieces. (Ensure that crumb mixture has cooled down completely before adding to ice cream.) For the apples: 1. Cut peeled slices of apple into small, fairly even pieces. 2. Add lemon juice and cinnamon to apple pieces to coat them. 3. Melt butter in a skillet and add the apple mixture. 4. Add water and maple syrup and gently cook the apples until they are softened, but still hold their shape. Depending on the moisture content of the apples, you may have to add a small amount of water. 5. Set aside to cool. (Apples must be completely cooled before adding to ice cream mixture.) For the ice cream: 1. In a medium bowl, add half of the brown sugar to the egg yolks and whisk together, until completely incorporated and pale coloured. Set aside. 2. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the brown sugar, milk and cream. Over medium-low, bring the mixture, to just a boil. 3. Whisk about 1 cup of the hot milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture (to temper). Return this combined mixture to the saucepan and cook on medium heat (do not boil), stirring constantly, until the mixture is slightly thickened. (It should coat the back of a spoon.) 4. Add vanilla and strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. Refrigerate the cooked ice cream base completely (an hour to a day) before processing in ice cream maker. 5. Follow instructions for ice cream maker. When ice cream is almost ready, add apple mixture. 6. When transferring ice cream to container, add apple crisp crumbs as well (you can add layers of crumbs). 7. Freeze for a few hours before serving Special Instructions: This ice cream is even more decadent served with a basic caramel sauce. Basic Caramel Sauce: Heat brown sugar, cream and butter in a medium saucepan. Stir constantly until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Orchard Mule
1 1/2 oz apple-infused vodka 2 oz apple cider 3 oz ginger beer 1/4 oz lemon juice Cinnamon sticks and apple slices for garnish For vodka infusion: 3 sliced apples 2 cinnamon sticks 500 ml vodka Fill a 1L mason jar with apple slices and cinnamon sticks. Add 500ml vodka. We used Proof Vodka. Seal and shake. Refrigerate for at least 48 hours (no more than 3 weeks). Pour the mixture through a fine strainer to remove the solids. For cocktail: In a copper cup filled with ice, add the infused vodka, apple cider, lemon juice and ginger beer. Stir and garnish with apple slices and a cinnamon stick.
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