I’ve been to the Altapass Orchard some umpteen times, but it always makes me nostalgic of my childhood, autumn approaching, and wonderful NC mountain apples.
Since I’m dying for fall to begin, I thought I would give it a little nudge with a trip to the Altapass with Brad and Rascal.
I need this as a magnet for my freezer. You know how I love to save stuff by throwing it in the freezer. 😉
My own little hot dog is quite noble.
They have a lunch cart at the Altapass, but did you guys really think I was going to rely on that for lunch?
-Pink Bean Salad (recipe posted tomorrow) over mixed greens
– Heidi’s Six Seed Soda Bread with reeeaal butter 🙂
– a plum
-a clementine
Brad had the same, except he had his bean salad as a side and some barbecued chicken on his salad (hiding on the bottom from the camera).
My hair has that I just spent the past hour in the car with the windows down on the highway look about it.
Our view of the mountains and the orchard while lunching.
Our trek through the orchard…
Rascal had quite a good time with the apples that had fallen on the ground. He dismissed them at first since he thinks all food comes from the fridge or our plates.
Victory!
Red apples are so pretty, but I much prefer the yellow/pink variety for taste, not beauty.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch…
The Overmountain Victory Celebration reenactors had infiltrated the orchard.
The band was cranking up Garth Brooks and George Strait.
I sooo would have made Brad two-step with me if we didn’t have the pup. 😉
I stepped inside the Altapass store for some apple and butter buying.
But, first I bought some fudge. Miss Charlotte made me (I swear) try my old favorite, chocolate and PB fudge. But I decided to be brazen and try something new. I settled on caramel apple pie.
I also bought a peck of yellow/pink apples. In case you’re wondering, a peck is a heck of a lot of apples. Expect many an apple to show it’s face here for the next umpteen days. I also bought apple butter, sweet potato butter, and…
pumpkin butter, which will be making an appearance tomorrow for breakfast, most definitely.
I think I got a little bit out of control with the butters. Let’s just call it stockpiling for the winter. 😉
I took Rascal to the car and Brad came out with FOUR different flavors of fudge! I nibbled each more than once over the course of the afternoon.
The view from the parkway
Brad had never been to Little Switzerland so we stopped in to their general store for a visit.
Maggie, the neighborhood dog, took quite a liking to Rascal. I swear that hounds recognize their own. This is what Rascal would look like on stilts.
Charming.
Um, yes please?
Clever. Especially the last one.
I originally wanted to stop here because I thought this general store might be like the famous Mast General Store and would have barrels of candy. Hey! I ran 12 miles today!
They did not have candy. 🙁
But, they did have beer. 🙂
Highland Brewing Company’s Oktoberfest. Yummy and local. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Brad ordered pimento cheese which was not as good as Wally’s (Brad’s dad) pimento cheese, but still interesting with bacon and apples. I had just a bite, which I share with Rascal to ease his nerves after a motorcycle went by. He hates motorcycles.
We had such a lovely day! The weather was beautiful, the food was delicious, and the company was even better. What a nice Saturday. 🙂