As a Chef, one of the things I really love about living in California is the fact that we have some of the best farmland in the world, and it’s put to use by people who care. Napa and Sonoma are both justifiably famous for their wines and postcard views but a whole lot of people have never heard of Apple Hill. Up until last week, I was one of those folks, but once I looked at things, it was obvious I needed to make the trip East.
It’s not one place.
One of the first things you need to know is that Apple Hill isn’t just one place, it’s a collection of Farms about an hour East of Sacramento on 55. From the Bay Area, it’s a boring drive, but once you get outside of Placerville and off the Highway, you’re in a paradise of rolling hills and country roads. The smell is something you have to experience to understand and you know right away that you’re in for a good day.
There are several dozen farms, orchards, and wineries, each with a collection of various wares, food, vendors and attractions. Most all of them have a place to buy whatever kinds of apples they grow as well a cider and doughnuts. A few places allow you to pick your own apples. Some places have food trucks, some have wine tastings, you get the idea. Plus, they have a bunch of local vendors selling everything from handmade leather gun holsters to hand forged Christmas ornaments (I got a gingerbread man).
Make a day out of it.
It was a lot bigger than I expected and while going on a Friday in September was a great way to beat the crowds, I didn’t leave until 10 AM and didn’t get to the first farm until 12:30. This really only gave me four hours to explore and while the farms are close together, there’s a whole lot to see and do at just about all of em. Trust me when I say that, even if you spend the entire day here, you’ll only be able to visit a fraction of what the area has to offer.
A few places of note.
I’m a sucker for carny food and one of the first things I had to check out was the “Hot Link Corn Dog” at Larsen Farms. I don’t know why it sounded so good, but as soon as I read about it, I knew I had to try it, and it was well worth it, mixing sweet and spicy together with a nice balance. It was a new take and an old favorite, and I am all about it.
High Hill is by far the biggest and this also means it’s the busiest one but it’s worth going to. This spot has a ton of cool stuff, including Pony rides for the kids. I didn’t ask for details, but it looks like you can even rent a pole and go fishing in their pond. This is also the place that had the gun holsters.
Delfino was worth checking out and they had a ton of stuff in their farmers market. They also do cider tastings and their apple doughnuts are on point.
By far my favorite was Apple Ridge Farms. They had some cool vendors, decent food and for a small fee, you can pick your own apples. My only complaint, as petty as it is, is that they already had Christmas decorations out, in September. This is also where I got the Ginger Bread Orniment so I’m a bit of a hypocrite.
In closing.
If you’re like me and hate both children and crowds, go on a Friday. If you’re heading there from the Bay Area, traffic is going to suck no matter what, so leave early and just chill. Most of these places open around 10 and you’ll want to eat the doughnuts hot n fresh. On that note, bring a cooler since you’re going to end up buying a gallon of cider, some apples and a pie or two. As fresh as this stuff is, you’d be stupid not to stock up and support local farmers.