Friday, October 30, 2009

Trip to the Cider Mill (Michigan trip part 3)

To me, one of the best things about fall is fresh in-season apples straight from the orchard and fresh apple cider. While I was in Michigan, my family took a trip to a local cider mill for cider and doughnuts. (note: in the U.S., cider refers to unpasteurized, unfiltered apple juice rather than the fermented "hard" cider that is bottled and has an alcohol content!)

This is Porter's Cider Mill. They don't have a website but I did find this fun website for finding cider mills in Michigan. It was too crowded with school group tours and people buying cider, apples, and pumpkins to get photos inside. Inside you can watch them sorting apples and pressing cider. You can get free samples of cider right from the press and buy freshly made cider doughnuts too. Cider doughnuts are cake-style doughnuts with cider in the batter giving them a tangy apple-y taste. My favorite are covered with cinnamon-sugar.
Outside were stacks of huge wooden crates filled with apples. I love that they still use wooden crates.
Apples in crates. Wish I had a shipping label with me!!!!

6 comments:

Needled Mom said...

It looks and sounds like it was a fabulous trip.

Apple harvests must smell as great as they look. I love the picture of the crated apples. Yes, a shipping label would have been a perfect idea.

Caramel apple flavored candy corn??? Oh my goodness - some of my favorite things. I would have eaten all of them myself.

dianne said...

ooooooo! apple cider and donuts - my favorite halloween treat! and they HAVE to be cinnamon sugar donuts - with the sugar still crystally and not melted into the donut! i need some ... right now!

Carol said...

My mouth is watering for a cider donut with cinnamon sugar...OMG that sounds heavenly...I love cake donuts.

Unknown said...

Yum..I need some cider right now. I remember when I was a little girl my Dad had a grocery store and we would go to Upstate NY and get apples. The smell in the cold storage building was outrageous! I think I need to hit a donut shop right now!

Unknown said...

Love apple cider. Sounds like you had a great time.

Becky said...

I love visiting apple orchards/warehouses. It's not something you find in Louisiana. I love visiting the places in Ellijay and sampling all their goodies - pies, cider, apple bread..... Missed it this year. Can't find a free weekend.