Appley Dappley

"It's a cult phenomenon!!" -- overheard this morning

We went today to the Apple Festival. Apples are a big thing in BC, we grow a lot here, and the local botanical garden has held a festival every year for close to 20 years now. They bring in close to 70 varieties of apples to taste and sell, and then alongside sell apple pie and dried apples and caramel apples and apple cider and any number of other things. There's face painting for children and crafts and it's a very family-type outing.

And here's the thing: it's immensely popular. So popular that we arrived at the tasting tent one hour after official opening only to be told, rather sorrowfully, that four varieties were already sold out. And truth be told many more than that were. People arrive first thing bright and early to snag their favourite varieties long before official opening. It's madness! Complete madness! A run on apples! Rare breeds, sought after, a status symbol to have purchased some of the few Maigold that they had! The crowds, there are intense and serious and true apple connoisseurs.

We had a good time. We didn't get to purchase the Senshus that we coveted, but we managed to get some Mutsus and some plain old Honeycrisp so I reckon we made out ok. Together with the Arlets, Gravensteins, and Kings in my kitchen I figure we've got our apples covered.

I almost sound like I belong, now, talking like that!