Sunday morning question of the day:
Did we all have a good time at the Gravenstein Apple Fair?
A quick poll of everyone, and we get six thumbs up. “I liked the ice cream,” “I liked the music,” “I liked feeding the goats,” “I liked the face painting.” – were the responses from the kids.
For me, it was the apple fritters. And, Greg agrees, they were sinfully delicious.
I guess I’m kind of surprised at the response, because there were times when I wanted to call it the Gravenstein Apple Whine Fair – and the wine certainly wasn’t the consumable kind, although at times I felt I needed it for all the whining coming from the kids – I want ice cream, I want the jumpy, it’s too hot, I want a fairy doll …
The Fair has its share of apple-related festivities, from applesauce and apple pie eating contests, to apple butter, fritters and pies to partake in. Aside from apples, there was a healthy dose of craft vendors, a petting zoo, a hay maze, a children’s craft corner, and the dreaded jumpy houses. By dreaded, I mean that the desire to jump in the Sponge Bob themed jumpy usurps everything else we’re there to experience . . . apples, farm life, fun together as a family. (“Kids, you can jump on them almost anywhere at home — even your friends birthday parties – so, why do it here???”)
After a relaxing lunch conversing with those sitting across from us at the communal picnic tables, we headed over to the kids corner. There they participated in a variety of activities set up by the local children’s museum. We headed over to the Bee Tent, then off to see the animals – a cow, goats, and sheep. While my future ‘animal savers’ Grayson and Nicole took off to view all the animals, Addie grabbed a handful of hay and headed over to the feed the sheep. She giggled as he licked it from her fingers, and Keely snuggled down next to a baby goat and stroked its ears.
After a few hours filled with ice cream treats, a bit of music, and a run through the hay maze, we headed for home. In the car, Grayson exclaims, “Hey, I lost my tooth!” (his first one). But that excitement quickly turns to tears when he realizes he doesn’t have a tooth to put under his pillow. I try to console him, mentioning that it must have gone down with the delicious apple fritter he ate.
When his sadness abates, he asks to snack on an apple on the way home. As I hear the chomping in the back of the van (everyone has one in their hands now), I think “Yes, it was a good adventure . . . one that we’ll always remember as the time Grayson ate his first tooth enjoying an apple fritter.
*****
This morning, the bag of Gravensteins, minus the four devoured on the way home, sits on the counter beckoning me to do something with them. Hmm, perhaps tonight it will be the Parisian apple crisp. If there are still some left over, it will be apple pie bars, which can be plopped in the freezer for enjoyment down the road. Yes, it will require a little time in the kitchen, but what a great way to extend our Family Food Adventure . . . you know, the one where the kids enjoyed good eats, lots of sunshine, and the excitement of the fair mixed in with a bit of whining. For us adults, it was a great reminder about the seasonality of foods, giving us the time to reconnect with those farmers who bring us great-tasting foods – and a time to reconnect with our family as well. We’re certainly looking forward to next year’s apple fair. But rest assured, we won’t wait another 12 months to enjoy another great-tasting food adventure with the family – whine or no wine.
