Robyn just went back to Alabama after a whirlwind week in Bardstown, KY at Scarlett’s house. She has been officially adopted by Scarlett’s gal pals and being encouraged to move back to Kentucky! During her visit, the two got serious about a new whiskey (Skrewball)…they experimented with the peanut flavored libation straight and loved it. It got their creative minds going and many adult beverages were experimented with…these recipes are soon to follow. However, this insertion will be all about apples. While Robyn was here, the girls caught up with an old friend from Newcomers Louisville and enjoyed a long lunch at Mammy’s and a story about apples. Here is her story…

The calendar said Fall but here in the South, we were still having record high temperatures. I’m talking high 90’s. Also, it seemed as if the whole U.S. had gone pumpkin crazy. Everything from lattes to SPAM! You name it they have it in pumpkin.

At this time of year, Robyn’s thoughts turn elsewhere. Apples. She lived a while in Michigan. Did you know that the state is the No. 3 producer of apples in the U.S. ?

Amazed on her first visit to a local produce market to find 24 different varieties of apples available. How had she lived without this? In the fall, a short drive outside of town to the orchards will have you eating doughnuts and hot cider. Robyn was also lucky to take a spin in her neighbor’s single engine plane over the orchards. The geometric layout was beautiful.

Apples also bring memories of Louisville. Attending a weekly stitchery group where you were encouraged to bring whatever you were working on and enjoy the coffee and conversation. One week, we arrived to find that our hostess had made a dried apple wreath. Everyone loved it! It was soon decided that we would all dry our apples and bring everything the following week to assemble together.

The first step to drying is to slice off the sides of the apples. Then, all your slices for drying will be lovely heart shaped with the seeds in the middle. What to do with all those sides you cut off? Apple Bread of course. It is a fragrant moist bread. It was enjoyed by all. We assembled our wreaths and no two were alike.