Right before I crossed the border from the United States into Canada, I had the honour of spending a few days with my eponymous friend Hannah of Bittersweet Vegan. As many of you would know, Hannah is an extremely talented vegan cookbook author, an extraordinary photographer, and a truly kind soul.
Hannah is also an incredible friend, and I cherish my memories of quiet conversations over coffee, our ability to understand each other almost without speaking, and the lemon pepper biscotti that I simply couldn’t stop eating during my visit.
I also remember fondly our day of apple, pumpkin, and raspberry picking, because I think I squealed more that day than a 25-year-old really should when it comes to produce.
Huge thanks to Hannah’s lovely mother for driving us an hour to and from the only self-pick apple orchard that was open during my visit, and for posing with Hannah in front of the little red house-truck-thingy where we paid for our fruit.
I adore this photo of Hannah.
That is all.
Hannah was on a mission to pick as many Mutsu apples as possible. I happily followed along, having never heard of Mutsus before.
I know now that they are green.
However, my eyes were irresistibly drawn to the apple trees beneath which glowed a veritable carpet of red fruit. For a moment I wondered whether, if I lost my footing even once, I’d be swept away on a river of red apples straight to the castle of a wicked witch.
Perhaps, though, the apple river would not have led to a dastardly poison-loving diva, but instead to an orange brick road made of pumpkin.
I almost bought one of these pumpkins, but then I remembered the existence of overweight luggage fees and sadly moved on.
Wait, not sad at all! For lo, in the distance, we found a bundle of raspberry bushes still jewelled with ripe berries, and I embraced my inner giddy young’un by taking a “one for the basket, four for me, one for the basket, four for me” approach to picking. All the while, of course, doing my best to ignore the glares of the man in the red house-truck-thingy.
It was totally worth it.
The path of pumpkins is truly a glorious and magical sight. And a carpet of apples! Mystical indeed. I remember we drove to Young to pick cherries – so much fun to pick and eat your own but raspberries would be a whole other story. I think it also quickly illustrates exactly why fruit costs so much – hand-picked fruit is harder than it looks!
The pumpkins just went on and on! Incredible. I have such fond memories of blueberry and raspberry picking every year on the way back from our family New Year’s Eve holidays in Thredbo, but then that drought came and all the self-pick places closed. Sadface!
Those were the most magical few days I can remember! It was amazing to have you visit, but I miss you so much my dear. We must Skype again soon! Sending buckets of love and raspberry wishes your way. <3 <3
I miss you too, dear heart. Skype would be wonderful. Stay smiling xoxo
fun fun fun!!!
Oh that just looks like the most joyous FUN – I would be squealing too.
Yeah, I totally realised after posting that this is exactly the place where people will understand the produce enthusiasm.
Pumpkins all the way to the horizon! Looks like a lovely way to spend a day
Plus, afterwards I got to eat homemade Speculoos spread. Epic.
How joyous! I love picking fruit-apples are harder I have been warned. Raspberries are perfect to pick because they are light and you can stand doing it
Hmm, that’s interesting, I wonder why you were told that? Picking these apples was ridiculously easy; the trees were laden with fruit and all within reaching distance. Didn’t need to stretch or crouch or climb at all!
Hi, Hannah – whereabouts in Canada are you? East coast I guess, if you were in New England last. I find myself in Canada too, at quite short notice, for my beautiful sister’s wedding, in Penticton, BC. On a culinary note, I have to say I am fairly used to putting cheese on my lasagne, but previously it has never been cottage cheese – perhaps I’m just an unadventurous eater?
The little crunchy onion sprinkles for our salad were also new to me.
Keep sparkling, little star.
Hi Ian! I’m living in Toronto for the winter months, then plan to head over to explore the west coast once it warms up (I’ve heard such wondrous things about the beauty of BC!). What a shame that we’re on opposite sides of the country! We could have met for coffee
Hmm, I must admit that my lactose intolerance and the fact that my mum is allergic to wheat, dairy, beef, and tomatoes, means that I have little to no experience with the vagaries of lasagne making. Was the cottage cheese inclusion any good?!
I personally prefer rainbow sprinkles to onion sprinkles.
I would have loved to catch up, but you’ve got a whole lot of eating & blogging to do before you get here, and I’ll be gone by Friday. But my niece will be back on the east coast soon – do you have more contacts over there and out west?
I’m never against friendly faces to connect with! As you say, I don’t really need to think about the west coast yet though
Sady my niece is strangely reluctant to be called upon by people she doesn’t know, even (or perhaps particularly) if they have a blog her uncle likes. Maybe when you get to the west coast (and if you pass thru the Okanagan Valley) my sister will be a bit more open to meeting you.
Absolutely no worries! I won’t be heading that way for quite some time anyway
Love the apple and pumpkin photos Hannah, but best of all is the photo of Bittersweet Vegan Hannah … I can tell she’s a woman after my own heart!
I’m glad to know you prefer Bittersweet Vegan Hannah to Your Own Daughter Hannah. That probably makes sense.
That pumpkin road is quite incredible. The whole outing sounds quite incredible. I am very glad xox
So many apples! So many pumpkins! And happy raspberry-eating!
I miss fruit! Definitely getting into Just Winter Squash Everywhere now. Berries are a far distant memory!
Mmmm that sounds so refreshing and awesome!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
What a lovely sunny day to be outdoors ! I love apples! And pumpkins! And raspberries!
The photo of you with the apple reminds me of an outtake from a high school senior’s photo shoot. I never did one, but remember all my friends having some unexpected pictures – here’s me gliding my fingers across the water as I lay awkwardly on this dock! Here’s me climbing out of a used tire stacked next to this wood pile! Here’s me showing how I got these beautiful teeth – by eating these apples! I love it:D Looks like more terrific memories for you!
Holy smokes, was yours a high school for heiresses or something?! Fancy photo shoots? That blows my mind. And also sounds hilarious.
This photo, I think because of the (borrowed) jacket, makes me feel like Rizzo, which means I feel like Stockard Channing, which means I have pretty much achieved my goal of being IN THE WEST WING life is good.
Nah, it was just a kooky tradition that everyone did. I refused to have any part of it, and inappropriately chided my friends for having those photos taken. Sorry friends!
And this is why you and I are friends.
Oh my goodness, so much fun!
This looks such lovely fun!
But Hannah please please please tell me that you happened to meet the Toronto IKEA’s little monkey visitor? Although the cruelty and wrongness of having a monkey pet breaks my heart, the photos of him crack me up! Especially the thought of him tackling IKEA flat pack furniture!
Alas, no! I was bereft of monkey cuddles! I’ve never been to an IKEA in my life, so you can safely bet that if anything ever happens at an IKEA, I won’t be there.
O I think you’d love it in it’s beautiful surreal-ness and super efficiency (efficient that us until you try to build it!). I was brought up in part by a Swede so have a lot of unconditional love for IKEA. Plus that monkey obviously has good taste, I’d follow him.
I do have a tendency to think “o that happen in [Toronto], I know someone ther she MUST have seen it”. Come to think of it I would probably ask you about anything in Canada. I have an over simplified view of “abroad” lol
That thinking would’ve been far more on the money when I was back in Canberra, which only has a population of around 300,000. Toronto’s population is in the millions!
I squealed when I saw those apple pics… I then did the same when I saw the pumpkin pics (and I don’t even like pumpkin THAT much!).
What an awesome day out. I can’t believe how many apples were lying like a carpet instead of hanging from the trees. I thought apples had to be picked. I’ve been raspberry picking and really loved it and it’s true what you say – ‘four for me, one for the bucket’. It’s great to be back visiting you! xx
It’s great to have you back, Charlie!
I should’ve made note of what variety the carpet apples were. But, for now, I’ll just call them kamikaze apples.
Gorgeous! Growing up around apple orchards I just love this post. Sunshine and Hannah happiness.
Heidi xo
I just love apple picking but haven’t done it in so long! Looks like you had the perfect weather for it too
Such fun! I remember my first time apple picking…. it was a hoot!