As the rain soaks my jacket and fogs my car windows this fine late January day I reminisce about the beautiful autumn here in the Northwest and one of the fun adventures I was able to go on this past September. A trip to Wenatchee, Washington – the home place of the dessert known as Aplets & Cotlets, beloved guber of fruit and nuts loved by some in the Northwest and hated by others.
I had always wanted to go to Wenatchee – a small Washington town nestled in the valley between mountains whose names I do not know – a perfect place for the growing of grapes. Where there are grapes there is wine, and I love wine, thus I wanted to go to Wenatchee. However, this time I traveled to Wenatchee for work – not wine – they both start with w so there we go. But after work there was time for exploring some of the bounty the region offers.
Like apple cider! In all flavors and shapes including lavendar, spiced, pear, cherry, you name it. It was the best cider I have ever tasted in my life, hands down, no kidding. Ingredients – apples. Nothing else, other than the fruit, herb or spice added for flavor. Then this lovely scarecrow beckoned us.
He called, "Come ye my ladies, I beckon thy tastebuds for something even more lovely than you!" Or maybe I imagined it -but I volunteered to taste the the hard cider for the team (as I had the hard job of sitting in the backseat and looking out the window on the way home) and in we went to the cutest darn tasting room ever.
Wherein I purchased candle holders made out of birch tree branches for my mother's birthday present, and 3 bottles of their finest dry sparkling cider. Then it was off into the sunset, after a quick stop at the Aplets & Cotlets factory.
I followed the instructions on this sign – and instead just chose to take a picture into the mystery that is an Aplet or a Cotlet. What is an Aplet & Cotlet really? I still don't know – but I can tell you they do taste a little bit better fresh from the factory.
According to the interwebs these little lovelies – also known as Turkish Delights are made from sugar, corn syrup and nutmeat. They definitely stick in your teeth. We purchased some for coworkers back home who love them, and snuck out before we had to go on an actual tour.
On the way home we stopped at few road side stands and enjoyed the still somewhat long days of sunlight. I really enjoyed this reuse of an old kitchen stove – thought I would put it right here. All and all a good day of work, a little play, and memories that will not leave me.