Some Wine Taste, We Apple Taste

I think we can all agree this past weekend was an absolutely gorgeous Oregon fall weekend. Leave are falling in our neighborhood and I love to walk along the leafy path just to hear the crunchy sound. You know you do it too. Yesterday we checked out the Apple Tasting in southeast Portland. This was so cool! I had heard about it from a co-worker and we thought it could be a fun new fall time tradition to try out. 

Walking in the Portland Nursery area was full of hay bales (hay bills if you say it like moi), pumpkins, fresh cider and LOTS of apples. One of the first activities you came up to was a booth area of a few folks throwing apples into a big barrel machine to prep them to be squeezed for fresh cider. Like so...

 There was apple cider tasting going on with all different types of orchards represented.. given the choice though we opted to do the apple tasting (quicker to get through), bonus: it was free (the apples, not the cider).

I had zero idea what to expect for an "apple tasting" event. These folks take it seriously and make it a cool experience. You selected a line to go through (all the lines had the same apples).

And they also had directions of how to have proper apple tasting etiquette.

Watch as Travis will attempt to demonstrate the poke, pull and pop.. (their words not mine). :)

 

This was such a fun fall afternoon date. It is something that we would probably do again next year and probably go for the cider next time. Only downfall - I have been on the hunt for apple cider donuts. They are no where to be found in the Portland area. I would LOVE to know where some may be. They are so delicious and perfect with a cup of tea.
There were lots of bins of all the different apples that were available to have a taste and we came home with a good bag full of different types (my fav - the Honey Crisp). I am excited to make an apple pie again this Thanksgiving and may try out an apple crisp with a few of these guys.

Here we are with our favorites and heading home.

He's totally the apple of my eye.