Apple Hill

After a quick run through the Farmers Market in downtown Placerville this morning, which has fewer and fewer vendors each week as we crawl towards winter, we headed to Apple Hill.  Its crazy there on the weekends with everybody coming up from Sacramento for apples, cider, pie and brisk fall mountain air.  We were there shortly after 10:00 when the orchards open in an effort to beat the crowds.  There are many orchards in Apple Hill from small out-of-the-way places to big operations with security guards directing traffic, crafts and vendors.  My friend, Audrey, told me that Rainbow Mountain has the best apple cider donuts so that is where we went.

I was craving a caramel apple and Brett wanted some cider.  We both had a donut and they were delicious. The donuts were piping hot, crispy and dusted with cinnamon sugar.  Down the hatch before I even thought about taking a picture.  I was going to just eat half of mine since I try to avoid fried food (not a happy thing without my gallbladder).  That didn't happen either.  I ate the whole thing without even thinking.

Apple Hill is a twenty minute drive up the mountain from us.  The views as we wound back down to our valley were stunning.

We bought apples too, of course.  I used a Golden Delicious, a Pink Lady and a Granny Smith to make apple sauce.  It was perfect with the pork roast I made for dinner.  The apples were so tasty that I only needed to add a dash of sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon.