What does Fall taste like

You can tell you’re an obsessed foodie when the coming of a new season triggers a food memory. Or in my case, a season does not begin until I have tasted the fare of the season. Here in upstate New York, fall is just beginning. The summer heat has died down and is now being replaced by a cool wind and crisp air. With the advent of fall begins the steep decline in stone fruit and lush summer produce (squash, tomatoes, etc.) However, do not weep for my loss of exciting food adventures! Fall is my favorite season with the plethora of apples, pears, and pumpkins. Fall sparks in my mind smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, and earthy allspice; visions of approaching Thanksgiving (my all time favorite holiday) and the coming of scenic foliage.
However, the foods that really spark my mind when I feel the first cool winds are apple cider and doughnuts. As a child, I fondly remember weekend trips to Tices farm in Montclair, New Jersey to taste the most robust apple cider, poured from musky wooden barrels, coupled with a desirably sweet cinnamon-sugar doughnut. In correct fashion, I dunked my doughnut into my cup of cider and lapped up the sodden doughnut. Ahh, the perfect fall food! And of course, we would schlep back pies of apple-caramel, pecan, and pumpkin; in addition to caramel apples and pecan Danishes. Alas, Tices closed several years ago to be replaced by a strip-mall but, my love of the first cider and doughnut of the season still remains a tradition that I proudly keep alive through another farm in Montclair called De Piero’s.

To be quite honest, the tri-state Clinton area is not known for much culinary-wise. Dairy farms are abundant here along with many organic farms but, no one really flocks here for sensational epicurean fare. However, just a mile down the hill from Hamilton, there is an old cider mill. Needless to say that I grabbed a few of my friends and headed down the staunch hill in search of said mill. My one friend (Emily) whose grandfather lives in Clinton, promised hand-pressed cider and freshly baked pies and goods and warned that one could easily spend $30 without a blink. I packed only $10 and made the trek.

I know this may sound slightly strange but, I love the initial smell you get when you enter any eating establishment. The strong scent of coffee in a Manhattan store or the aroma of aged cheese in a far off store in Clinton. To me, the marker of a good food establishment in the olfactory pronunciation of their product and in Clinton’s cider mill, the joint reeked of success! Upon opening the doors, I was flooded by fall’s fond memories. The scent of pressed apples, old rusty cranking machines, and spiced sugar was kind to my nostalgic nose. Even the interior of the mill was similar to my happy childhood memories. Upon entering, you were brought up to the register to glare at the pies and goods on display. A little farther down separated the store from the mill and several pressing machines flooded the back of the store. Sadly, the machines weren’t operating when we came but, leftover apple cores and seeds from the morning press could be found upon the worn wooden floor.
The walls of the Mill were covered with diagrams of different varieties of apples, pictures of the Mill since its erection in 1927, descriptions on the operation of the Mill itself. I practically ran to the counter and left many hand-prints upon the glass display case. Only two pie varieties were made (traditional apple and apple-crumb) but, their chalk-written menu promised pecan, cherry, strawberry, pumpkin, and other fruit pies. Of course, pie and I are on first name basis but, I wanted my traditional cider and doughnut. My friends and I bought a half-gallon to split and several doughnuts and chocolate chip cookies. We retired outside to the porch and after a little struggle with the cider bottle, we managed to pour out six glasses of red, brown ambrosia.

I took one last swallow of highly anticipated saliva, bit into the doughnut, and quickly swigged down some cider. The feeling was indescribable; happy moments of fall invaded my tongue and simultaneously crept into the far reaches of my mouth. The cider was sweet and robust and coupled magnificently with the sugared doughnut. The doughnut was perfectly spongy and had a certain level of cakiness that I thoroughly enjoyed. A beautiful golden crust perfectly encircled the doughnut and little pools of sugar and cinnamon happily floated atop my cider cup. It was bliss, pure enjoyment; fall had arrived within a two second span and had brought with it another food/fall memory to add to my collection.

After thoroughly licking my lips of any remaining crumbs, I clamored back inside to examine the countless jellies, jams, preserves, and maple syrups on display. All crafted from local producers, I stood my ground and only looked. On another self was several prepared pancake, waffle, and bread mixes, carefully prepared by the mill owners. The owners contently worked behind the counter and were more than happy to answer my bolstering questions.
After leaving the mill and heading up the hill again, I was simply euphoric. Though my friends were a little confused as to my behavior, I can only say that it takes very little to make me happy in this world: a cup of cider, a large doughnut, and the first colors of fall.

Note: Unfortunately on the walk down the hill, my camera batteries ran out. After cursing the food gods, I warned my friends that we would have to return to the cider mill for pictures. For all those (my two readers) that care to examine an up-close picture of cider and doughnut, I will post one as soon as I return to the mill.