Before the Season of "Everything Pumpkin" - Take time to Savor the Apple

I do adore pumpkins. Soon enough it will be the Season of Everything Pumpkin. But for me, September is the season of the apple.


Apples are the glorious gifts of late summer and early fall. There are so many varieties to choose from, and in New Jersey we have a plethora of pick your own farms. Some apples, like Cortlands, are on the sweeter side. Empires are great for eating raw and have a bit of tartness. Fuji's are wonderfully sweet and last a very long time. Granny Smiths are lovely if you prefer the tartness of apples. Jonathans are great for making applesauce, but not for baking because the mush. Yorks are great for baking. I could go on and on, since there are over 100 types of apples grown for commercial use. Actually, there are over 7,000 types of apples grown world wide, but that would take us rather far afield.

There is so much that apples give us. Not just for eating and cooling. On these first cool nights as summer fades to autumn, there is nothing like some warmed apple cider with a cinnamon stick in it. Around here, Delicious Orchards has the best cider. A great place for pick your own apples is Terhune Orchards. They also make some yummy apple wine. And of course there are the amazing benefits of apple cider vinegar.  We use it in many of our products because it is so good for you on the inside and on the out. Ooh - and I've recently discovered the fun of hard cider, but that again is another story.

Apples are packed with nutrition and fiber. They contain lots of vitamins like A, B, and C. They have antioxidant components, quercetin, collagen, and elastic which make then wonderful for your skin, boost your energy, and aid in digestion.

Applying apples to your outsides might seem strange - but your skin will certainly appreciate it. Here are a few quick tops to try:

• Take a nice fresh apple and run it through the blender with just a little water or green tea. Take that fabulous smelling mush and rub it in to your skin after a hot day. Rinse with cool water and you'll be washing away the heat and damage you've imposed on your face.
• Kick the apple treatment up a little by blending apple mush with honey and make yourself a skin loving face mask. It will brighten and soften your skin.
• Use a little apple mush or gently run a slice of apple under your eyes to help alleviate those dark circles. 
• After shampooing, pour some apple juice through your hair and then rinse. It will help with dandruff and add some nice shine.
• The pectin and tannin in apples helps soothe bug bites. Rub a piece of apple on a bite or apply a little mush.

Of course the best thing you can do with an apple, especially fresh and in season, is eat one a day. It may help keep the doctor away, and it will definitely taste great and make you happy.

Playing With Pancakes

I can't help it. I'm a recipe diddler. I don't think I've ever just taken a recipe and followed it without any alteration. But there are some things I'm getting better about - I write down my changes. This way, I know if I've tried something and how it turned out.

Here is the original recipe, with the alterations I made. They were wonderful and fluffy and so very yummy. The second time I made them - still messing with the recipe - I added blueberries and drizzled them with vanilla honey.

Fluffy Pancakes
Ingredients:

Yield: 8 pancakes Mine made about 17 medium size

1 1/4 cups flour
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar (my alteration – 1 ½ tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon maple sugar)
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder (my alteration – add ½ teaspoon baking soda)
1 egg
1 1/3 cups milk (my alteration – 1 and almost 1/3 cups milk, finish up to 1/3 with vinegar – I used a pear cinnamon balsamic)
3 tablespoons oil (I used Grapeseed)
(add 1 tablespoon buttermilk powder)

Directions:

1 In a small bowl, whisk milk, egg, and oil together.
2 In a larger bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
3 Slowly add liquid mixture to dry mixture and whisk well. Let sit for 5 minutes.
4 Spray large frying pan with cooking spray, and heat to medium heat.
5 Wait until pan gets nice and hot.
6 Make pancakes whatever size you wish-- allowing top to form bubbles before turning over.
7 Cook until both sides are golden brown.

Serve with maple syrup, or whatever you wish to put on your pancakes! These can be frozen and toasted in the toaster to be reheated.

Now if you were to ask me how I came up with these changes - well, I couldn't really tell you. We had wanted pancakes, so I looked up a few recipes on line and fond a few that sounded interesting. I probably blended two together. Then I looked around my kitchen. I love maple flavor, so that's where the maple sugar came in. We love buttermilk pancakes, so that's why the powdered buttermilk. One of the recipes I read added vinegar. But why add plain old vinegar if you have something interesting. That's how it fell together.

So play with those recipes. It may not always work - but you might find magic! Just remember to write it down.

It's Beach Plum Time!

I do love summer. The heat and sunshine, beaches and gardens, the feeling of freedom. And, as much as I love Halloween, I hate to see the summer go. But there remains one more marker of summer, one last great and fabulous blast. It's the ....

Sunday, September 8th, join us and dozens of other outstanding vendors for the Beach Plum

Festival. Island Beach State Park, just past Seaside Heights, is bursting with these natural shore loving fruits. Besides shopping at such fine crafter's as Celtic Chairde Creations, Carolyn's Crystal Creations, Blind Bob's Pottery, Herbertsville Honey and others, you'll be able to go on Kayak tours, Beach Plum picking adventures, learn about the bay and history of the park, and maybe see some of the osprey or foxes that call the park home.

The festival runs from 9 am to 4 pm. Enjoy some activities, listen to the music, have a sit on the

beach, and explore one of the most beautiful areas of the Jersey Shore.

We'll give you 10% off your purchase of $20.00 or more at our booth that day.

 Just mention this post.

Come on by and let's give summer a proper, fun, and beach plumy send off!

Join us at the Beach Plum Festival this Sunday!

It's one of the first events we book every year. We hope you'll join us at this wonderful, fun and educational event to close out the summer.

Annual Beach Plum Festival

 Sunday, September 9, 2012

9 am to 4 pm

Island Beach State Park

Just past Seaside Heights, NJ

There's so much to do:

Beach Plum Picking

Beach Plum Ice Cream

Kayak tours

Educational displays

Raffles

Food

Music

The Beach

Crafters.... and us!

And if you're looking for something to do on Saturday, stop by the Smithville Art Walk to see the works of my amazingly talented other daughter, Maggie Moran.

It's going to be a great weekend! Hope to see you at the Beach... Plum Festival that is.

Pirates and Oysters and Guinness - Oh my!

Last weekend turned into a bit of a muddled mess. Iffy weather forecasts and a touch of nasty cold kept our scheduled events from proceeding as planned. BUT this weekend we shall prevail! So join us, won't you, for a weekend of pirates, oysters, Guinness, music, food and lots of fun!

Toms River Pirate Festival
Saturday, October 1
10 am to 5 pm
415 Washington Street, Toms River, NJ
Christ Episcopal Church
$10 for adults, $5 for under 18 and Seniors, under 3 is free
Live pirate music and shows all day. Imaginative and magical crafters and food vendors. This is such a fun event for children of all ages. Feel free to come in costume - although not required. Check out they're website for more details and the days schedule.

But wait... there's more...

Rescheduled from last week - the one and only

Red Bank Guinness and Oyster Festival
Sunday, October 2
Noon to 7 pm
White Street Parking Lot, Red Bank, NJ
$5 donation suggested for all those over 13
Live music from 2 stages all day, savory and creative food from over 20 restaurants, beer, intriguing information booths, vendors with fascinating wares (including yours truly). and did I mention beer.
Come celebrate the season with us!

The Guinness Oyster Festival is a fundraiser for the Jane H. Booker Cancer Center at
Riverview Medical Center, The Cancer Institute of NJ Foundation and Red Bank River Center.

Mention this post or one of our Facebook posts when you come to our booth at the festival and we'll present you with a token of our esteem and thanks.

Now - get to the festivals me hearties!

Upcoming events... and schedule changes

We love doing outdoor events - but sometimes they're tricky to manage. We were scheduled to go to the Allaire Fall Craft Festival today (Saturday, September 24). Although we love this event, we won't be there. Illness (I have a nasty bit of a cold) and iffy weather have made us decide to stay home.

Tomorrow (Sunday, September 25) is a new event, the Red Bank Guinness Oyster Festival. We'll have to see how the weather goes, it may be moved to its rain date for next week. So stay tuned!

UPDATE: The Red Bank Guinness Oyster Festival has been moved to Sunday October 2. Start your sunny day dances now!

Back To The Beach - the Beach Plum Festival that is!

This is probably one of the best events we attend each year. The event takes place at the
#1 bathing pavilion in gorgeous Island Beach State Park.

14th Annual Beach Plum Festival
Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 9am- 4pm
Island Beach State Park Seaside Heights, NJ
There is park admission of $5 per car.

There will be

• A craft show and sale
• Kayak tours, nature hikes
• Beach plum picking and jelly making demonstrations
• Fly tying & casting demonstrations
• Many environmental organizations
• Children's games & activities
• Food
• Live entertainment
• And Lots more

Summer is winding down - but it's the best time to enjoy the beach and the beauty of nature. Stop by and visit with us. Mention this post - and you'll receive a free gift!

Celebrate September at the Jazz It Up Wine Festival

It's been a tough, windy, soggy week. But Labor Day weekend is here and it's time to get out and celebrate! Join us at the States Largest Wine Festival!

Saturday and Sunday, September 3 & 4, 2011
Noon to 5 pm
(raindate Monday September 5)

Admission is $25 and includes a glass for wine tasting. With over 20 vineyards in attendance - that could take you quite a while! If you are not tasting or are under 21 - it's free! Shop among the crafters and shops, check out the history of Allaire Village, dig the jazz music, and kick back!

Remember, summer isn't really over yet. So take advantage and bring a lawn chair. Stop by our booth and chat for a while. Mention this post and we'll give you a gift!

So celebrate September and enjoy the lingering summer with us. We're jazzed - hope you are too!