如果Michelle的秋天派對遲一天開，這一篇蘋果篇可能還可趕得及上市。
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十月，是美國的蘋果月。十月有三十一日，有四個周末，可以挑一個周末到紐約州的蘋果園摘蘋果。香港人可能比較熟悉華盛頓州的蘋果，其實紐約州的土地很適宜種植蘋果，紐約蘋果也很美味和有名。每年十月，很多人都會北上摘蘋果和賞楓葉。
很多人都知道紐約市外號大蘋果(Big Apple)，但紐約市本身並不出產蘋果。這名字可謂有點名不副實。
為何要叫「大蘋果」呢？最普遍的解釋是，上世紀三十年代，紐約市一份報章《New York Morning Telegraph》的專欄作家John Fitzgerald首次用「大蘋果」來形容紐約市，他的專欄叫做「Around the Big Apple」。從此大家就叫紐約市做「大蘋果」。
紐約市雖然不出產蘋果，但全美最早有記錄的蘋果樹卻是種在紐約市。1647年，紐約州州長Peter Stuyvesant在紐約市第三大道和第十三街的街口種了一棵從荷蘭運來的蘋果樹。如果這棵蘋果樹不是在1866年遭貨車撞倒，它會是美國最長壽的蘋果樹。
昨天是周末，早上氣溫只有攝氏三四度，我們就驅車北上八十英哩去摘蘋果。沿途樹木紅黃相間，我們的車就像踏著灑滿黃金的路，駛向赫德遜河谷(Hudson Valley)的蘋果園。
那個蘋果園佔地超過一百英畝。我們去摘蘋果時，得要坐農場專用的拖拉車。因為每個來摘蘋果的人平均都摘一袋，一袋足足重二十磅﹗在只有幾度的寒風中，挽著二十磅蘋果在蘋果園中摸路回停車場，可不是說笑。
十月中旬，有些蘋果已被農場的工人摘了下來。原來很多蘋果都不能忍受太寒冷的天氣，所以仍可以摘的有富士(Fuji)、Romes、Winesap三種。我們從山腳一邊吃，一邊摘到山頂，富士種在山腳，Winesap種在山頂。結果我們最後還是走回山腳摘富士──因為Romes和Winesap吃起來，味道都不及富士香甜和多汁。
很快摘滿一袋，我們又看見拖拉車載了廿多名遊客來摘蘋果。粗略估計，一天幾百人來摘，但農場實在太大，單靠遊客來摘蘋果是不行的。我們摘蘋果時就看到樹下滿是熟透掉下來的蘋果，看著有點心痛。所以，農場還有其他大客戶，就是那些用貨車來運走一箱箱新鮮蘋果的蘋果商人。
阿包就不理三七二十一，一邊摘，一邊吃，又拾樹下的蘋果吃。咬過兩啖，竟然將未吃完的蘋果放進袋去﹗
摘完蘋果，農場還有新鮮的蘋果汁(apple cider)免費供應。我怕冷，寧願付錢去買一杯熱蘋果汁，再加一個熱烘烘的蘋果餃子(apple dumpling)，在露天的桌椅上大啖品嚐，已覺得很滿足了。
去年的蘋果
We went to one in New Paltz, exit 18 on I-87 last week. One of the better ones we went to. They even sold donuts and ice cream there, in addition to the usual suspects like Apple cider and pumpkins. The place was huge but was pretty packed. On our way back we stopped at Woodbury, that was really really packed … to avoid traffic we didn’t leave until after 10PM…
lcl,
Really? We got off at exit 18 on Route 87 too. It’s about 3 miles from the junction. They have apple donuts and pumpkins too. I just didn’t put up the pictures here. The weather was freezing yesterday when we were there. I just watched them picking and dared not to take out my hands from my pockets.
We left for lunch in a diner nearby and headed home around 2pm. You don’t want to be stucked in the traffic nowhere, especially when it’s dark. Did you go over the Tappan Zee Bridge? I think the town Nyack would be very pretty in the late autumn.
Yes, would I lie to you? No. On our way we passed through a small town which looked pretty cool, Japanese restaurants and all touristsy looking.
We went to Dressel Farms. But I don’t think they served free cider though. The farm is nice except they don’t have a real bathroom, it’s those portable potties, that’s the only complaint I have….
We went last week so it wasn’t all that cold. The kids had Monday off because of Columbus Day so we stayed longer than we usually do.
I have no idea about Nyack but I think the foliage must be prettier now as the weather gets cooler. Yes we drove on the Tappan Zee Bridge too
Since we took off around 10PM so there was hardly any traffic.
比你說得心癢癢的，好想也去摘啊。
時間過得這麼快，還記得去年你也登了一篇關於蘋果的，呢，那張相只見阿包背面．．．
昨天在附近走走，許多大戶人家的花園挺著棵棵蘋果樹，紅綠滿枝，其實早該摘下來，但他們就是任其熟透，掉落，枯爛。像花，唉，真想伸手一採
lcl,
Oh, I didn’t mean that you would lie to me. Actually I meant “what a coincidence”.
We went to Minard Farm. Talking about bathrooms, the bathrooms are pretty clean in the farm stand. There are also portable bathrooms in the farm. haha…I don’t have any problems about bathrooms after living in rural area for years.
Nyack is on other other side of the Tappan Zee Bridge.
I was in the bed at 10pm. Zzzz…
Michelle：
對。去年是阿包和廚神一起去。我那天沒有去，應該是周末加班。是同一個農場，原來去年賣16元，今年貴了，18元。不過，依然很抵。
小奧：
太浪費了。我們看見蘋果園很多蘋果都掉到地上，也覺得很可惜。但是，又不想拾起來吃，阿包就不理三七二十一，一邊摘，一邊吃，又拾蘋果吃。吃完兩啖，竟然將未吃完的蘋果放進袋去﹗
看來好好玩呢！我吃過紐約出產的的蘋果，味道確實不錯，多汁又爽。
Sherry：
你留言真快﹗
本來想給你一些資料的，等會有空才給你。
我不會拾哇，因為不知道蘋果下來多久，哈哈哈，阿包真厲害
小奧：
小朋友就是這樣，冇有怕。
You know I always wonder what do they use for the cider, and my cynicism tells me it must be from all the fallen apples on the ground. But I guess that’s pretty OKAY too. I can’t imagine all those apples go wasted just because they are on the ground. I tell my kids to pick with their eyes first and make sure they want it before they pluck the apple from the tree.
I went to the link you put there on comment 6. Man, they even have the “clean, modern restrooms” in bold, must be trying to tell Dressel something.
lcl,
Oh, I thought in the same way too. As long as there are no dogs, I think the apples are fine on the ground.
haha…I didn’t notice they put the “restroom” in bold.
wawawa
好開心
etranger：
你講阿包？佢都唔知幾開心。今天拿了一大袋蘋果回學校給同學仔吃(其實是廚神親自送去)。
熱蘋果汁？可熱飲架咩？
臻媽：
新鮮榨的蘋果汁是可以熱喝的，當然是暖的，不是熱到燙傷人那種。