Washington apples

Washington State is justifiably famous for its apples. They're crisp, delicious and nutritious. They're one of the state's top agricultural exports.

Saturday we made our annual trip north to Tieton, a small community in the foothills of the central Cascades, where we spent the day making apple juice at my husband's cousin's farm where they have a small apple orchard, growing a variety of apples that all go into the juice.

This is an event we look forward to every year around Halloween. There is nothing better than drinking a glass of fresh-squeezed juice as it comes off the press. Most of us don't even wait until it's been through the strainer to remove little bits of peels and apple chunks that might be in it.

This year wasn't as much fun but only because of the weather. It is no fun picking apples, washing them in a huge iron tub, throwing them into the apple press when it's raining and then bottling it. We were human Popsicles by the time we were through.

Luckily, we didn't have to squeeze as many gallons as we usually do, somewhere between 200 and 300 gallons a year. That's because not as many people showed up due to the rain. The cousins have a rule: You can have as much juice as you want as long as you help make the juice for their freezers. Usually we spend the morning squeezing juice for all of us and the afternoon making their 70 gallons or so. This year, we'd started on their juice well before lunch time.

The jugs of juice freeze well, which means we can enjoy this treat throughout the year. Yea! for Washington apples!

Why I like autumn

Juice doesn't get much fresher than this!

In autumn, the days start getting cooler, green leaves change to brilliant oranges, reds and yellows, and apples are harvested in the Yakima Valley.

Ah, yes, the apple harvest. What I like best about this is apple juice, fresh right out of the press. Wow! It doesn't get much better than this!

Washington apples are the best and are sold the world over. I've seen Washington apples from the Okanogan Valley sold in London, and red delicious from Wenatchee sold in Beijing, even though apples are grown extensively in China. But you can buy Chinese apples any place; finding Washington apples is a bit harder, not to mention more expensive. I found them at a fruit stand outside a major hospital where imported fruits, loose and in gift baskets, were sold.

Yesterday, we made our annual trip up to Tieton where we spent the day making apple juice. My husband's cousin has a couple of dozen apple trees -- Fujis, red and golden delicious, Granny Smith and so on, all of which go into the juice we make.

Yesterday about 30 people, ranging from toddlers to octogenarians, turned out to make juice, starting with picking the apples and ending with washing off the filled jugs. Everyone shows up with their jugs to hold the gallons of juice we make with the cousin's apple press. We made almost 200 gallons of juice in just a few hours. Each bottle tastes differently, depending on which type of apple dominated in that pressing. But it's all delicious. In return for helping the cousins make apple juice for their freezer, we get to have all the juice we want. Today our freezer is crammed with juice. Altogether, we made almost 200 gallons of juice yesterday, and also brought home a bushel box of Fuji apples.

With the days getting chillier, a cup of hot spiced cider will certainly come in handy.

What's your favorite thing about fall?