That time of the year again…
Another lovely fall apple pressing, year 2014! Ollie, excited about his first pressing EVER was raring to go. That’s my guy.
He made about 50 trips back and forth with the barrels of peelings to the pile we set up for the deer (photo from last year). What a champ.
And my beautiful mermaid also got down to business.
We started picking apples a few days beforehand- We have highly sophisticated techniques.
I get better each year with set up-
Here’s the lot we did- with still loads more on the trees.
Can’t say these guys were much help with picking…
Especially when knocking over the wheelbarrow and forcing me to fight for each apple. They like to just take a nibble off each and move on.
And so we begin…
The beautiful day prompted shorts and t-shirts- our group got bigger…
Our youngest helper- ho hum.
I love it when our neighbors pull up totally ready to rock it-
no messin’ around with these guys!
Our neighbors -who happen to be two adorable brothers. Thanks guys!
We all worked hard
and pressed about 70 gallons 🙂 I promise I did more than take photos!
If I were a bee this is how I’d want to go-
In the evening, we celebrated the bounty drinking cider and using it for the pork roast. I started by reducing fresh cider.
The roast was seared
Covered in remaining garden veggies and apples that had been seared in the same pan following the pork loin. I drizzed the glaze over it and sprinkled with fresh minced rosemary
Cooked at 400 for only about 30 minutes till the internal temp reached 140°- we like it pink. Tack on sides of spaghetti squash and kale…
Et bon voila… harvest dinner. yum.
PS- Take your juices from the pork roast and whisk into the reduced cider. Add a 1/2-1tsp to your liking of dijon mustard. This just takes it to the next level.
Cheers and happy fall!
Wendy's Place 
That looks like a fun family activity, even if it’s a lot of work. And the glazed pork looks absolutely delicious!
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It was great and so were the leftovers. That kind of community work is mostly a lot of fun!
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Fantastic!! I love events like this when everyone chips in to get the job done and then celebrates afterward. Haven’t done that for a while. When I was a kid, we had apple trees in our yard and every year we’d pick them (usually shake the tree) and my mom would make tons of apple sauce, apple butter, pies . . . I can still smell all the apples. Thanks for sharing.
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Your so welcome.
We did a lot of shaking- and now it’s time for some picking before they all drop or get ate up by the birds. I’m still on for a few pints of apple sauce myself. I love a little apple butter too – used to love letting it cook down for hours on the wood stove.
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I have such apple envy. I think it’s really special that you gave the deer a tablecloth for their lunch.
What a gorgeous pork dinner!
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Honestly, we are so grateful and spoiled. I can hardly imagine living somewhere without fruit trees!
We had so much rain just after the pressing the deer were a little remiss this year in clean up. But they’ve just about got it finished up now.
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looks like you guys had fun – the pork looks amazing!
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It was pretty darn good. I bought a huge loin to so we had lunches for a couple days. My favorite.
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Hi Sweetie So wish I could have been there; looks like so much fun. But the very wonderful photos made me feel like I was almost there! And also would love to be there to share that magnificent pork roast. Willie told me about Chloe’s green hair.. she has her own special way of being unique! I leave for Panama tomorrow, will call you before I go. Love you. Mom.
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Maybe you can come sometime in the fall. It’s a lovely quieter time… sort of. Hardly ever quiet around here right?! xox
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What a lovely day it was. So great to have neighbors working together. Thanks again for the use of your press.
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It really is. Already looking forward to next year:)
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Great activities. Lovely approach and delicious looking pork.
Bravo!
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Thank you Conor- We are lined up for another neighbor’s pressing today as well. We’ll be racking our hard cider tomorrow- anxious to see if it worked- It’s our first go.
Cheers… wendy
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Fantastic photos! And I love the commentary with them. Isn’t it wonderful having neighbours that are happy to help. Makes such a difference. Ours helped us harvest our olives. Brilliant! Your pork roast looks so delish … love the idea of the cider into the roast juices. 🙂
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I think you should make your way to the Pacific northwest for apple pressing and we’ll inch our way to you some day and harvest olives.
The glaze was just a cider reduction – we used half to cover the roast and then the rest for the sauce with the jus and a little dijon- it worked well just sort of off the cuff.
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Splendid idea Wendy! You get cooking now 😉
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Well done!!
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Thanks!
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One of my favorite fall events has been pressing cider. I think I may have mentioned to you last year that we have the same cider press. 🙂 You had a lovely ending to the day.
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I have never experienced this, I hope some day I get the opportunity! What fun with your friends joining in as well, did they have their own apples to press? Is the machine something you buy or something you put together on your own, it seems quite efficient. I’m going to keep this recipe in mind, for now I’m craving apples and a pork roast!
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What a wonderful blog! I just sailed over here from Cindy Knokes blog, I’m glad I did 🙂
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Glad you did. It’s always fun to stumble somewhere new that strikes a cord.
wendy
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I feel like I just escaped to the country for the day (even though I am sitting in a fluorescent-lit office!). Such lovely photos, teamwork, delicious food, fresh cider! Ah, Wendy this is so beautiful! I love the combination of pork and apple. A classic but oh so perfect. Looks like you cooked everything beautifully, so tender and moist. Thanks for sharing this apple pressing adventure with us 🙂
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The web can really give you a little fun when it transports you from your immediate environment- as long as it’s balanced I suppose! I do that too… I’m in a barn:)
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