Fall – My Favorite Season

Fall in Cooperstown, NY

Trees full of bright vibrantly colored leaves.  Crisp air in the mornings and evenings.  Tasty pumpkin and Octoberfest beers too.  Despite what this time of year does to my sinuses and allergies, it’s by far my favorite season.  Throw in pumpkins, apples, and adorable kids it’s almost too much for me.

Fall is the time my favorite beers are released.  Schlafly Pumpkin and Sam Adams Octoberfest are the two I look forward to all year.  I will try almost any pumpkin or Octoberfest styles, but these have continued to be my favorite.  I actually cried after finding out I was pregnant in late July and then seeing my first Sam Adams Octoberfest in the store the next week.  My poor husband thought I lost my mind, nope just hormones.

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We have been blessed to be in Cooperstown, NY for a number of falls to see family and weddings.  It is everything you envision fall looking like.  The rolling hills are a wonderful backdrop for the vivid leaves.

 

Ommegang Brewery
Ommegang Brewery

PUMPKINS

This year we kept our fall activities closer to home.  We did spend two weeks in New York this summer and I may have tried to drink Ommegang out of their beers.

We took P to a pumpkin patch and apple orchard for a cuteness overload.  I busted out the real camera for the occasion.  He ran around selecting pumpkins.  While his selection was a bit too heavy for him it didn’t stop him from trying to pick it up.

This one mommy!
This one mommy!

As we picked apples he demanded to be on daddy’s back.  I think he likes the view from up there.  He loudly proclaimed, “No pictures Mommy!”   Watching a toddler enjoy a fresh from the tree apple was priceless.

I tried to get a picture with him, but he was too wiggly.  No snuggles or kisses for mommy.  This is his true personality, full of spunk.

tisha & porter

Once home the freshly picked apples quickly were put to use.  My sous chef P was hands on in the apple turnover making.  Pretty sure he just enjoyed the flour everywhere making a BIG mess.

freshly picked apples

The turnovers were quickly devoured.  Not bad for my first attempt.  For pie crust dough I turned to this recipe.  You may thank me later.

homemade apple turnovers

With the leftover apples I was going to make turnovers again, but the sous chef wasn’t being as helpful.  We created a pie instead.  He really liked the BIG mess this time.  Flour was everywhere in the kitchen, including covering us.

homemade apple pie

The crust was perfection.  I added a butter and brown sugar wash to the top prior to baking.  The filling needs a big more work and finesse.  It’s edible, but not everything I wanted.  Next time.

We took a few minutes this week to finally carve one of our pumpkins.  We chose a three inch thick pumpkin to try and carve.  Gonna need a bigger knife next time I try to tackle a thick pumpkin.  P loves our spooky ghost pumpkin.  Can’t wait to see how he does trick or treating this weekend.

spooky pumpkin

 

What is your favorite part of fall?  I’d love to hear in the comments.