Looking for a great bag, quilt, table runner, placemats, or other fabric made goods?  Well then don’t miss 2009’s Handcrafted Hoedown for the Holiday’s.  You’ll find a little bit of everything fabric made by a variety of skilled people.

  Janet from JanetQuilts has brought gorgeous wallhangings, lots of table runners, placemats, aprons, fabric bowls, a wide assortment of bags, and more.  From classic to kooky…you’ll find a little bit of everything when you look through all of JanetQuilts Offerings.

My aunt-in-law, Barb, the talented long-arm quilter will also have things at our sale. 

Barb offers a wide variety of quilts, bags, wall hangings, and new this year, fabric signs.

   To get a sneak peak and what she may have at the sale check out her etsy shop:  www.quiltsbybarb.etsy.com.  I’m sure her things will catch your attention.

And of course, fabric goods from my mother-in-law and I will be for sale as well – quilts, table runners, wall hangings, bags, ornaments, aprons, hooded towels, fiber bowls and MORE. 

Don’t forget to stop by the orchard this weekend for some yummy cider donuts (we just finished making them), unpasteurized, unpreserved cider (1/2 gallon or gallon), caramel apples, and regular apples!  All of the Honeycrisp’s are out of the cooler so it’s only a matter of days until they are gone for the season.  We still have a wide variety of apples for you to choose from though…don’t forget to ask us to sample any that you’ve never tried.

I will also be attending the very last Sun Prairie Farmer’s Market of the season tomorrow from 7 until 12.  If you don’t want to drive all the way up to Poynette, you can stop by for cider donuts, cider, caramel apples, McIntosh, Cortland, Idared, Gala, Jonagold, Red Delicious, Empire, and Cameo’s.  I would love it if you stop by to visit me!

I plan on taking the girls trick or treating in a neighborhood in Poynette tomorrow (we have to ‘borrow’ a neighborhood).  I’m not sure what time it all begins but we’ll be out there.  Cedi went from wanting to be a pink ghost, to a pink snake with a long tongue, to a pink jellyfish, to our kitty, Smoky Cheetoh.  I’m really glad I’m waiting until tomorrow to make her a costume.  Our kitty is grey so my plans right now are to put her in a grey sweat suit outfit, pin a grey tail I made up tonight on her butt and then hand stitch some ears to a headband…I think that will work.  I also have a couple of yards of pink fabric to play with if she changes her mind yet again.  So, when you stop by the store in the afternoon tomorrow, don’t be surprised if you see me surrounded by sparkly pink fabric, scissors and thread!  Oh…not quite sure what Capri is going to be…either a princess, a bee (no I didn’t make the costume), a pink jellyfish, or a ghost…only time will tell…

I would love to hear what your kids are going to be for Halloween…or you, just leave a comment below!

I don’t usually include things about my online store with the apple orchard stuff, but if you want to try to win $30 worth of credit to my etsy store KimsCraftyApple you can enter HERE.  Please do not feel obligated…just didn’t want you to miss out on this opportunity if you were interested.

Don’t panic yet. Yes, this weekend is the last weekend that the ‘back room’ full of handmade crafting goods will be open for this season at the orchard store but it is NOT your last chance to buy things. We are closing up the craft section because we have craft sales every weekend in November and the first weekend in December. So, you still will be able to buy things…you just have to find us!

Where can you find us?

November 7th: Christmas Market at the Travel Center in Belmont, WI

November 13th and 14th: Holiday Craft Fair, 7100 Spring Hill Dr., Middleton, Wisconsin

November 20th and 21st: Hand Crafted Hoedown for the Holidays at Lapacek’s Orchard

November 28th: Holiday Craftacular – Madison, WI

December 5th: Holidays at Home in the Village – Village Hall, Poynette, WI

And of course, many of the things you’ve been drooling over in the back room are also available on my websites: Kim’s Crafy Apple and theApple. If you are looking for something you remember seeing just send me an email and I’ll do my best to help you out!

This comes directly from the Wisconsin Apple Grower Association Cookbook.

Savor the old-fashioned goodness of baked apples, especially Idareds, which holds their shape perfectly and look beautiful on the table. Developed in Idaho, Idared is a cross between two old time New York apples, the Jonathan and the Wagener, first raised in Penn Yan in 1791. Idared’s debut in the United States came in 1942 and today the variety is prevalent in orchards in the East and Midwest, despite its mountain state origin.

Underneath a supple red skin, the fruit’s crisp, pale yellow-green flesh is juicy, fine-grained and tender. It has a aromatic fragrance similar to that of a Jonathon, but is moderately tangy with a slight sweetness.

Idared keeps its shape and flavor well in pies, yet cooks down nicely and is often used in apple butter. This variety is also suitable for eating fresh, and for use in cider salads, freezing, desserts and processing. Idareds make a beautiful pink applesauce. Cook the apples with the skins on and strain the sauce to get the best pink color.

Available in Wisconsin around the middle of October.

This comes directly from the Wisconsin Apple Grower Association Cookbook.

Visualize the best of two worlds – the crackling tart Jonathan and the oh-so-sweet Golden Delicious. You’ll think you’ve gone to Apple Heaven when you treat yourself to your first taste of a large, luscious Jonagold.

The name of this brilliant golden-red apple reflects it parentage of Golden Delicious and Jonathon. Noted for its beauty and flavor, Jonagold was chosen by experts as one of the two most preferred dessert apples in the world.

This is yet another product of the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station at Geneva. Jonagold was released in 1968 and has been more popular in Europe and Japan than at home in the United States.

It was the leading apple west of the Cascades in Washington State and in British Columbia. Jonagold rivals McIntosh as the number one variety.

With its unique blend of all the best traits from its parent varieties, Jonagold is marked by scarlet red over yellow-green skin. Underneath is the flavorful yet mellow, cream colored, juicy flesh, an excellent choice for pies, sauce, salads, freezing or eating fresh.

Jonagolds make great fried apples. Simply sauté in butter and add a little cinnamon. No sugar needed!

In Wisconsin, Jonagold is harvest from October 7 through October 20, but can be store until March.

Some people think that Golden Delicious is simply the yellow cousin of the Red Delicious apple. But, in fact, they are related in name only. This honey sweet apple is a special treat all on its own.

The Golden Delicious apple is an excellent “all purpose” cooking and eating apple with a thin skin and firm, crisp, juicy flesh that retains its shape when baked or cooked. Its rich, mellow flavor is an asset to any recipe. The Golden Delicious skin is so tender and thin that you can skip peeling it for many recipes. Because it is so sweet, Golden Delicious can be used for pies and sauces with little or no sugar. It’s also a great apple to blend with other in cider.

Golden Delicious began as a chance seedling on a farmer’s hillside near Bomont, West Virginia in 1914. In that same year, the Stark Brothers bought the trees for five thousand dollars and protected it with a cage and burglar alarm.

The apples ripen in October in Wisconsin. Skin that is pale yellow is desirable, as opposed to the chartreuse of a Golden picked prematurely or the darker yellow of one picked too late. This variety should keep well if refrigerated in a crisper or plastic bag. Try using Golden Delicious as an attractive fruit bowl and fresh eating apple. [I love the way Empire’s and Golden Delicious look together!]

It’s always a great gift to give something useful for the cold winter season…oh and cute and cozy too!

I have quite a few artists selling their cozy winter wear at the sale…for both adults and kids!

The hit of the sale last year were Karol Tomlinson’s recycled wool mittens. Using wool sweaters she puts together these one-of-a-kind, beautiful and warm mittens! They make a great gift for others (trust me…I gave quite a few pair out) and a fabulous treat for yourself! Stop in and see what Karol’s selection has to offer this year!

A new addition to the sale this year is Lil Noggin Tops (this is a link to her facebook photo album of more hats and things). Amy of Lil Noggin Tops crochets adorable hats for kiddo’s and adults! Another great gift!

My Aunt Betsy has been knitting me things for years and years, along with the rest of her family…especially her grandchildren. I still have the sweaters she knit for me when I was little stored away for when they’ll fit my daughters! Above is a picture of a couple of the hats she knit for Cedi and Capri last Christmas…so adorable and fun! You’ll find some hats and scarves knit by her at the hoedown this year too!

So between felted mittens, and crocheted and knitted goods we should have your warm and cozy gifts covered!

The Handcrafted Hoedown for the Holidays 2009 will take place on November 20th and 21st from 9 until 5 at Lapacek’s Orchard.

I really try hard not to double post but I just had to today.

Some parents told a young girl that she could have any pumpkin she could lift into the wagon and get to the car…she managed to get an EIGHTY-ONE POUND Pumpkin! All I can say is “Nice Work.”

Happy Sunday to everyone! It looks beautiful out this morning so hurry in and get your cider donuts, cider and apples to enjoy for the week!

As I was looking through our new Farm Fresh Recipes from Lapacek’s Orchard Cookbook this one from Patty Koch caught my eye. I hope it sounds yummy to you too!

Sour Cream Apple Coffee Cake

by Patty Koch

Topping

1/2 c. white sugar

1/2 c. chopped pecans

2 T. melted butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

Cake

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. shortening (oleo)

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. sour cream

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. apples (chopped up)

Cream together brown sugar, shortening, egg, vanilla and sour cream. Sift flour, baking soda and salt. Add sifted ingredients to creamed mixture and blend; fold in apples. Grease and flour 9 x 13 cake pan. Pour in batter and cover with topping. Bake at 350-degrees for 45-50 minutes.

ENJOY!

Tonight, Jared and I headed to the Mackenzie Center for the Haunted Hay Ride at 6:30. We were just two of many people there for the fun and to support such a wonderful facility!I had to take a picture of the line we waited in. It was quite a long line but I picked up some popcorn at the food stand to snack on for the wait. You could also roast marshmallow’s for s’mores and grab a cup of hot chocolate (or you could do this after your ride). This demon saw us on our way.My camera was having an issue taking pictures in the dark so this was going to be what we saw as we first entered the haunted hay ride…instead…I got a beautiful picture of the grass… Here’s one of the fun scenario’s the Friend’s of Mackenzie set up for our enjoyment along the way.

I had a wonderful time on the hayride. It wasn’t crazy scary but I definitely screamed once…maybe twice along the way. We took the girls last year but decided this year it might scare them as they comprehend more of what was going happening. It was nice to go just the two of us.

One thing we’ve been pondering is a doing a Haunted Orchard in the future. Any opinions? Please leave me comment on this post with any thoughts, suggestions, and yeah or neigh’s.

Today, I’m going to give you yet another sneak peak at a few of the artists’ that will have their work at the Hand Crafted Hoe Down for the Holidays coming up in less than 30 days!

I have two more local Poynette Artist’s joining us: Robert and Inge Shaw!

I’ll start by showing you a few things that you can find on RobertShawDesign’s new etsy shop.

Here’s what he has to say about himself and his work:

The furniture I have built in the past has been to order. The pieces I have put in my etsy shop, are somewhat experimental. Mixing metal and wood, coloring wood and leaving wood not so finished, so you can see what a piece of lumber would look like before it is planed and finished glass smooth. A lot of the process of furniture building I do using hand tools, especially the tops. They are too big to run through the thickness planer, so I take the rough glue ups and plane them down using different hand planes and scrapers in a long multi-step process. Some of the table tops I leave in the stage two of the planing process, leaving diagonal ruts from the Scrub Plane left in. I have always loved that wavy pattern that the Scrub Plane leaves behind. So that's where I stop, the top is then lightly sanded and the finish is applied.

His wife, Inge is also a very talented artist and will also have some of her work at the hoedown. To see more than what I’m showing you be sure to take a peak at her new etsy shop IngesAccents.

Here’s what I learned about Inge:

My connection to words, shapes, color and light - that's what began my interest in creating these art pieces. The metal art adds unique dimension to interior spaces. They are strong symbols in my life, each symbol or simple word reminds me of what is important or help me with direction.
Friends and family have also found a sense of inspiration from these simple symbols in their homes.
For people who know me, vocally I am a person who uses few words (not a talker). I make statements short and sweet, and that is what these pieces are about also. There really is a lot of depth in a symbol.

Stay tuned for some more ‘sneak peaks’ into the upcoming Hoedown!

This comes directly from the Wisconsin Apple Grower Association Cookbook.

One of the newest apple varieties, Empire is a cross between a McIntosh and Red Delicious [I never would have guessed that!], was developed at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva and unveiled to the public in 1966.

It’s a medium-sized, attractive, dark red apple that’s an all-around winner in flavor, use and post-harvest storage.

A blend of sweet and tart, this juicy, crisp apple has a creamy white flesh. It’s as well suited for eating fresh and salad use as it is for use in baking, sauce and pies.

Because of its sweetness, Empires are often added to cider blends. Pack small Empires in school lunches. Kids love Empire’s sweet-tart taste and super crunchy texture. Harvest in Wisconsin is from September 25 through October 10, but apples are typically available from September through July.

Happy Sunday everyone! This morning, I am baking a Apple French Toast in the oven. I prepared it last night and am excited to try it! Keep an eye on the comments below a little later and I’ll let you know how it tastes.

Since I’ve been talking about pumpkins a lot (How to Cook A Fresh Pumpkin and Yummy Recipe Using Pumpkin) lately I thought I’d post a recipe my cousin’s wife sent me for our Farm Fresh Recipe Cookbook for this Sunday’s recipe.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Kerry Blondheim

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef or turkey

1 c. diced celery

1 small onion, diced

1 c. diced green pepper

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 c. freshly sliced mushrooms

2 tsp. soy sauce

1 pkg. long and wild rice, prepared according to directions

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 c. milk

1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1/4 c. melted butter

1 med. pumpkin, topped and cleaned out

salt and pepper, to season

In large kettle, brown beef with celery, onion and green pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Add mushrooms and soy sauce and cook a few more minutes. Add rice, soup, milk and water chestnuts. Cook a few more minutes. Swirl melted butter around inside of the pumpkin. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon meat mixture into pumpkin and put top on pumpkin. Bake on a cookie sheet 1 1/2 to 2 hours at 350-degrees depending on the size of your pumpkin.

Just checked out the forecast for today…cooler this morning but we’re going to be in the 50’s this afternoon! A perfect day for you and your family to come out and check out the animals, pick a pumpkin, explore our farm and take home a bag of yummy apples, cider and of course cider donuts! Hope to see you at the orchard!

I’m about to head out to the Sun Prairie Farmer’s Market this morning…it’s supposed to be nice, but cold.  Hopefully I’ll see some of you there.  I have donuts! (and cider, caramel apples and apples too…)  Before I left I wanted to post our simple instructions for cooking pie pumpkins.  These are available to purchase at our shop.

Why would anyone want to cook with fresh pumpkin when they can buy canned pumpkin from the store?

For the same reason you buy apples at our orchard instead of the store.  Because the taste is worth the extra effort.  Here’s how to prepare your pumpkin for use in recipes.  Recipes usually call for 2 cups of pumpkin.

1. Wash the pumpkin.
2. Heat the oven to 350-degree.
3. Split the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and stringy pulp.
4. Place pumpkin halves, cut side down, on a baking sheet and bake for about one hour or until the pumpkin is very tender when pierced with a fork.
5. Let the cooked pumpkin cool completely.
6. Spoon the soft pulp out of the shell.
7. If your pumpkin is stringy, use a food processor or blender to puree it.
8. Put the pumpkin in a strainer and let it drain.  Get as much of the water out of it as you can.
9. Use the pumpkin in recipes or you can freeze or can it for later use.
10. If you are going to freeze the pumpkin, put 2 cups in a freezer bag and put it in the freezer. 
11. If you are going to can the pumpkin, put two cups of pumpkin into a clean pint jar.  Cook at ten pounds pressure for 20 minutes.  Quarts 40 minutes. 

These are from the Apple Cookbook by Olwen Woodier.

• The six top apple-producing states in the US are Washington, New York, Michigan, California, Pennsylvania, and Virginia
• The 2000 US apple crop was estimated to be 254.217 million 42-pound cartons
• The largest US apple crop on record is 277.3 million cartons harvested in 1998
• In1997, there were 9,000 US apple growers and 453,200 acres of commercial orchards
• Apples trailed only oranges and grapes in the amount of US acreage committed to fruit production in 1997
• In 1999, the average US consumer ate an estimated 18.7 pounds of fresh apples and 29.7 pounds of processed apples
• In 1999, the People’s Republic of China produced the world’s largest crop of apples. The United States was the world’s second-largest producer with Turkey, Italy, and France completing the list of world’s top five apple-producing countries.
• The United States, New Zealand, and Japan are the leaders in apple breeding.

I’m going to try my best to post some information about each crafter that will have things at the Hoedown over the next few weeks.  I wanted to start by featuring Xanthe Walker of OddStuffbyXanthe.  I met Xanthe last year at Christmas time at a Team Wist Holiday Craft show and she and the work she does is just amazing!  Things she’ll be bringing to the sale include collages, a few necklaces, holiday ornaments, small notebooks and prints!  Here’s an interview she was gracious enough to fill out for me :  

***When did you first start creating things?
We had little money when I was young so I got in the habit of making toys from things I found around the house and yard.

**What were the first things you created? and how did your creativity progress from there?
I would make things to go with my stuffed animals; clothes, small books, dishes, etc... I remember always making things, mostly useful items. Necessity breeds creativity.

**Is this your only business or do you do other things as well?
I seem to always be busy! In addition to selling at art and craft fairs, I sell my artwork in two shops. I am a mother of two, I volunteer at their school, and also at the local library.

**Do you still dream about making other things? If so, what?
I would love to design fabric! For fun, I make small dolls. I've never sold one, they are for online swaps only, but I would love to make small mixed media dolls.

**How did you come up with your shop name if you have one?
Most of the time I just go by my name, Xanthe Walker. It is original enough, but on Etsy I use OddstuffbyXanthe because I just couldn't think of a better way to describe what I make.

**What are your favorite things to look for at craft sales? Why do you like them?
Small plush, knit items, zines, and prints mostly. I dunno, I am just naturally drawn to them.

**Any words of advice to others?
Stick with it and don't be afraid to get your hands dirty!

Xanthe Walker has also been published in many magazines if you want to check them out:

"Somerset Studio" May/June 2007
"Somerset Home" 2007*
"Somerset Studio Gallery" Summer 2007 and 2008
"Somerset Holidays and Celebrations" 2008*
And a necklace of mine was in "Esquire" magazine June 2008
"Sew Somerset" Winter 2010 (out in Dec.)*

*Includes "How-to" article written by myself

Hope you stop by to see some more of her amazing items in person at the Hoedown on November 20th and 21st at the orchard!

I seem to receive a lot of phone calls at the Orchard asking how we sell our apples. I apologize that we do not do pick-your-own from the tree…I do let you pick your own bag of apples though! Be sure to ask to sample varieties you’re unfamiliar with or have never tasted before.

Apples – Prices Vary by Variety

Best Buy: Bushel (approx. 40lbs) – we sell bushel’s of a limit varieties depending on the availability of the apples

by the Peck (approx. 10lbs)

by the 1/2 Peck (approx. 5-6 lbs)

by the 1/4 Peck (approx. 2-3 lbs)

by the pound

Caramel Apples
Best Buy: Buy 12 get 1 Free

Individually

Unpasteurized and Unpreserved Apple Cider

Best Buy: Gallon

1/2 Gallon

Pint

Cider Donuts: Saturday and sometimes Sunday’s

6 to a bag

Hope this helps!

recWe woke up to a frosty morning. This will help to warm your bones after you’ve spent a day out in the cold. (for those 21 and older)

Hot Cinnamon Cider

by Kim Lapacek

1 c. Lapacek’s Apple Cider

1 1/2 shot of Goldschlager

1 cinnamon stick

Heat cider in coffee mug in the microwave on high for 1-2 minutes or until steaming. Add liquor. Serve with a cinnamon stick. Enjoy!

This is the view you will see when you first pull into Lapacek’s Orchard. We are going for a cozy, rustic farm setting. Not only will you be able to find a wide selection of delicious apples, but you will also be able to purchase the perfect decor for this autumn. A HUGE selection of various pumpkins are available. You can either pick your own from our patch or choose your favorite from the ones decorating the yard. Remember, at Lapacek’s Orchard, if it’s not breathing it’s probably for sale. Beautiful mums in many different colors are displayed in the yard are all for your choosing as well. These will continue to be beautiful year after year if you plant them properly…make sure to ask Diane for some tips! Who loves SQUASH?! We have TONS of squash! Butternut, buttercup, delicata, acorn, mooregold, hearts of gold, spaghetti squash, Hubbard, carnival, and MORE! At this time we have boxes of butternut and acorn available. Don’t forget you can bake up your squash and freeze it to enjoy for the rest of the year! (yes, that’s a chicken in the background of this picture…they like to wander our little farm.) Another chicken hanging out.MORE SQUASH! Yum! Pie Pumpkins! Pie Pumpkins! Pie Pumpkins! Get your pie pumpkins!

Great for baking pie, adding flavor to soups and you could even carve them if you are looking for a smaller pumpkin.

We also have a beautiful selection of gourds and mini pumpkins scattered throughout our yard. They add the perfect touch to create that autumn feel at your house. AND if they dry properly (which is not guaranteed) you can sometimes have maraca's! I also have a limited quantity of adorable, whimsical pumpkin stands available for sale. In this picture you can see one that I decided to use a butternut squash for the head! Looks great either way and these will last for YEARS (they’re metal).

Thanks for stopping! See you again soon!

Here are some pictures I took of our hoedown last year after set up. Just to give you a sneak peak at what the goodies may look like!

This comes directly from the Wisconsin Apple Grower Association Cookbook.

For most people, eating a Gala apple is a sensory extravaganza. The skin has a visible iridescent red blush over a creamy yellow background, giving it an enticing look. Inside, the firm flesh is cream-colored and dense, with a deeply sweet and intensely aromatic flavor.

It is a sweet and delicate dessert apple that should be served with foods that are not overpowering. Bring Gala apples to room temperature to experience the flavor to its fullest potential.

Originating in New Zealand in 1934, Gala apples were introduced to the US in 1981. Its parentage is from Kidd’s Orange Red, which was a cross of the old English favorite, Cox’s Orange Pippin, and Red Delicious. The Gala ripens in late September and its available in Wisconsin until mid-October, making it one of the first apples on the market. It is best served fresh, as cooking destroys some of its most delightful qualities.

Gala apples store very well and can also be used in sauce and for baking. Test the firmness of the apple by holding it in the palm of your hand. (Do not push with your thumb). It should feel solid and heavy, not soft and light.

Most of you all know that Friday night is Donut Night at the Lapacek’s household (Kroncke Road). Jared starts around 7 and I join him after the girls are in bed (or right away if Aunt Karma or my mom and dad around to put them down). This past Friday I took some great pictures of the entire process so everyone could see! I have to send out a huge thanks to Al, Jeremy, Leslie and Karma for all their help getting these done. We would never have the energy we still have if it weren’t for our friends. Thanks guys!The batter in the machine getting ready to be fried up!The donuts begin!Now for Number 2 They sizzle away as they get fried and delicious! Jared is in charge of getting the dough ready. My fabulous deal on a Kitchen Aid Mixer comes in handy for this (only $60!)! Al was in charge of moving the new donuts out of the way of the previous donuts. Jeremy was the cinnamon/sugar-er… I was the bagger. Leslie labeled (no picture taken…ooops) Our assembly line in action.Jeremy decided he needed an apron so I found him a really nice one to wear :) Al needed one too…

It was a successful and fun night of donut making!

Now onto the Sunday Recipe. I had never had cider donuts and since we get busy in the fall I didn’t know when I would have a chance to try them. So, Diane made up a batch of cider donuts for me at the end of the season one year…I was hooked. The recipe I am going to share with you is not the one we use for our donuts we sell at the store but it is quite delicious. This recipe can be found in our Farm Fresh Recipes Cookbook either online at Kim’s Crafty Apple or when you stop by the apple store.

Apple Cider Doughnuts

by Diane Lapacek

1 c. Lapacek’s Apple Cider

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. margarine

2 lg. eggs

1/2 c. buttermilk

3 1/2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

vegetable oil or shortening for frying

2 T. Cinnamon

1 c. sugar

Boil cider in small saucepan until it is reduced to 1/4 cup, 8 to 10 minutes; cool. Beat sugar with margarine until smooth. Add eggs and mix well, then add buttermilk and reduced cider. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in another bowl. Add to liquid ingredients; mix just enough to combine. Transfer dough to lightly floured board and pat to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with 2 1/2 to 3-inch doughnut cutter, reserve doughnut holes and re-roll and cut scraps. Add enough oil or shortening to fill a deep pan 3 inches; heat to 375-degrees. Fry several doughnuts at a time, turning once or twice, until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove to paper towels with slotted spoon. M ix cinnamon and sugar. While still warm, shake a few at a time in a paper bag containing cinnamon-sugar mixture. Cool on a rack.

Or, if you want to try some cider doughnuts and don’t feel like doing all that stop by the orchard on a Saturday and get your own bag that we’ve already made for you! (Sometimes Sunday’s too!)