All Things Apples
Ahhh - we are in the midst of it, my friends! The pinnacle, the peak, the GLORY that is LEAF SEASON. Something about the clash of warm colors on a cool day, gentle wind and a crisp blue sky - this season has a resonance like jazz. Makes a girl want to snap her fingers, sip a hot apple cider and hum to the melody of spontaneity. Autumn has always been my favorite time of year - and here in the Blue Ridge Mountains we celebrate this closing up of the warm seasons with such fondness. From Samhain rituals, Haunted Halloween trails to Harvest Festivals, Western North Carolina knows how to embrace the fullness of Fall. For me and my family, nothing says Autumn like a good apple harvest. We enjoy the hikes, the changing leaves, the squashes and pumpkins - but the year can not be completed without at least one thorough day of apple appreciation. For this, we've taken up the tradition of spending a day at the Stepp’s family orchard. Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard A classic family fun in the south kind of place, they offer a full range of apple activities, pretty much everything you can think of doing with an apple - they do it here. APPLE PICKIN’ I love a good ‘You Pick” farm - apple trees as far as the eye can see, with so many different varieties, it’s Apple Heaven. Filling up your baskets while your wagon's overflowing, the dozens of apples you’ve tasted along the way - you start to imagine all the things you’ll get to do with these apples when you take them home. Then you realize the culinary creative within you is pretty much the Bubba Gump of the South. Remember all the things you can do with shrimp? Apply that to the ridiculous amount of apples you’ll be bringing home after a day trip at Stepps. You can eat ‘em, drink ‘em, can ‘em, cook ‘em, smash em, sauve 'em, bake ‘em, dehydrate ‘em, ferment ‘em… APPLE CANNON Nothing like shooting an apple out of a cannon. My boys LOVE it. Jussst a little bit of harmless fire arm play on a sunny afternoon. Apple pirates shooting at a target across the field. A few "Arrs" and "Shiver me timbers" later and all I can think about is whether or not this could be an effective way to make apple sauce... CORN MAZE 5 Acres of weaving pathways through super tall stalks of corn. I used to think sitting on a haystack in the fall was novelty - but an intricate twist of vegetable dead ends and drying husk walls that tower of your head- getting lost in a labyrinth of grain for what seems likes hours - Your whole family, delirious with corn confusion, filled with laughter and in an altered state of proprioception which only knows sky, dirt and maise - now that's novelty. YUM Even though we’re set to go home with more apples than anyone would ever really need - we still can’t resist grabbing a couple masterfully made apple treats from The Apple House. You can’t go wrong with any of them. Apple pie, apple butter, apple cider, apple donuts… Just to name a few of our family favorites. Harvest season is almost over and you have just a couple weeks left to experience the height of autumn at this farm. With so much more to be experienced than I can mention in this blog, every part of me wants to encourage you to pack up the family and take a spontaneous weekend trip to Stepp’s to fill your belly and your spirits with all things apples.
Experiencing the Magic of Tea at Dobra
Dobra is a Czechoslovakian word meaning “good.” So when you walk into the tea house, you know, by definition, you are about to have a (and I would add extremely as an adjective here) Good Tea experience. There are not many true tea houses in the US, yet our eccentric mountain city of Asheville is home to 4 traditional style tea rooms, 3 of which are Dobras. Although I must make a note here, the tea houses are by far not the only places to experience a traditional Gongfu tea ceremony, Asheville boasts a vibrant and thriving tea community. Many local events feature tea pouring and some shops have weekly tea service. You may even find a couple tea vans driving around to find the perfect nature pull off to set up shop and bring the magic of tea ritual to surprised and delighted passerbys. Although there are three lovely locations to access from almost any side of town you're on, I will always be a West Asheville Dobra Tea girl at the core. That location stole my heart the moment it opened some 8 or so years ago. The layout provides the perfect space to have your standard table dining experience, or hide yourself in the back corner, cuddled up on the floor seating platforms. And then there’s that secret back room - you wouldn’t know about until you know about it. When you step through the curtain your swiftly transported to an ancient chinese gypsy den where you can get your fortune read or travel through China’s best tea producing regions with a private group gongfu tea tasting. Pure magic. Dobra holds a strong reverence for the locals as well, each of their (insanely delicious) pastries and tea snacks are made by local desert artisans. Their savory menu, too, is made from as many locally sourced ingredients as possible and all organic. Even their ghee is sourced locally! There’s a certain quality to the attention of the staff there as well. There’s such a palpable sense of pride and devotion to the art of tea that the employees carry with them, it almost makes you wonder if tending the tea house is more of a hobby and less of a job to them. Most, if not all, tea people serving at Dobra are incredible vaults of knowledge when it comes to all things Tea - literally ask them ANYTHING. They’ll explain to you the varying processes of tea curing that creates the flavors and profiles of black, green, white and puer tea. Everything from steep time, each country's differnet tea harvesting process, the pouring and serving methods and even to the type of tea ware used in each tea's culture of origin - Dobra people KNOW TEA. Speaking of origins - I feel it's worth sharing the Dobra Tea origin story, for its one of the qualities that tend to the parts of my soul that are deeply revolutionary. During the cold war times and Russian’s reign over Checloslavakia, the rulers of Russia determined that fine tea was only fit for the government, and did not allow anything but the cheapest of teas into the country for the common people. During this time, the original creators of Dobra, with a tinge of rebellion and pride, knew that the people deserved better. So, as a spark of a claim to justice, they began secretly importing quality teas from all over the world and gathered discretely to drink fine tea together. After the Berlin wall fell and Czechoslovakia was split in 1993, Dobra opened their first tea house in Prague, the new Czech Republic capital. Today they franchise 36 locations, 6 in the US, 3 in Asheville. The owners still come to every opening, ensuring the tea room is up to standard with their original vision and mission to serve Good Tea. In this world of constant grind, Dobra Tea West Asheville encourages mindfulness and presence. With it's chinese moroccan vibed atmosphere, it's the ideal place to escape the hustle. Whether you're in the mood for a quiet read, being serenaded by the written word or your seeking community and conversation, Dobra is the perfect place for a reset. Or perhaps you're like me, who revels in those moments of silence and solitude, just you, in colloquial contemplation, with a cup of tea.
Black Mountain; The perfect Blend of Nostalgia and Innovation
Ahh, Black Mountain. What can I say? This sweet little mountain town has me swooning! Each time I go up to visit, I am filled with a rare and palpable resonance of warmth and intrigue. With a deep-rooted appreciation of its mountain heritage and community wide indulgence of the arts, this little town invites nostalgia of the sweetest kind. A walk through Black Mountain gives me that old timey feeling. Especially when I cross over the (still functional) railroad or stop to rock with my baby on one of the painted rocking chairs scattered around downtown. With a satisfying mix of high mountain sunlight and a cool valley breeze, afternoons in Black Mountain hold a special tone for me. A visit here always charms my heart, filling me with a sentimentality that sounds like hammer dulcimers and tastes like freshly made, spiced apple cider. Forget chicken soup - this town is biscuits and marmalade for the soul! But Black Mountain is more than dreamy aesthetics and charm- Back in the 1930s, some of the town's visionary pioneers created Black Mountain College, an institute committed to exploring new ways of education with its “learning by doing” approach. Teachers and students were equal and each lesson was experimental, democratic and always centered in artistic expression. Their progressive approach was a bit revolutionary for the times, and its radical dedication to creativity continues to echo through the heart beat of the town. To this day you will find scholars, poets, painters, potters, story tellers, musicians and philosophers alike wandering the town and weaving art into their daily living. Me, I’m a generally curious person and I LOVE to open my mind with unique perspectives and new stories. In this town, I am almost eager to stand in that insanely long line at The Dripolater and strike up a conversation with a local (while shameslessly eyeing their drool-worthy pastries). More often than not, I walk out of there, perfectly caffeinated, and with a little nugget of wisdom, history or perspective that I get to mull over for a while. You can feel the obvious community pride and creative impulse that drives the town when you visit its unique shops. Almost every store in Black Mountain is locally owned and features some crafts, art, home goods or products made by local residents. The entrepreneur spirit here is strong, which, as an entrepreneur myself, I have a deep respect for. My family and I are nature lovers, above all. So Black Mountain is an all around good day trip destination for whatever mood we’re in. Turn in any direction and there's a trailhead somewhere down the road. One of our favorite hikes are up in Montreat. It’s a summer haven, tucked within rhododendrons and pines with a crystalline river coursing beside us as we climb. It's pure magic up there! And my kids, well, they love to be monkeys up at Robert Lake Park. In a modern world filled with plastic and metal, the rustic feel of their wooden jungle gym is very refreshing. And again, another throwback kind of feeling. So whether you’re an artist, a nature lover, or an entreprenuer - Black Mountain’s got a little something to make anyone feel at home. Not just another tourist destination, but a pretty magical place to live as well. Where the past dances gracefully with the present, and the bonds of community are as strong and vibrant as the mountains that surround it! Moving in or just coming for a visit, the result is the same; Black Mountain is going to make an imprint on your heart.
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