Apple Picking at Smolak Farms

One of the best ways to spend a fall weekend day in New England is to go apple picking - especially if you visit Smolak Farms. Smolak Farms has it all: apple orchards, berry fields, a petting zoo, and a general store where you can buy little pieces of heaven otherwise known as apple cider donuts. Lord, and the ice cream! More about that later.

We made the short drive from Boston to North Andover a few weekends ago, and I shrieked with joy when I saw this:

How quaint! Pumpkin patch and all.

I was most excited for the apple cider donuts, so luckily we headed first to the general store for hot cider and donuts. The store was adorable, offering many baked goods, jams, and other homemade items.

The hot apple cider hit the spot, and the apple cider donut (I chose the cinnamon-sugar covered) was amazing.

The cake donut had perfect texture and moistness. The plentiful apple chunks throughout made both my eyes and stomach very happy. I had two donuts instantly, and I bought six more... like this:

They were just as good the next day. And yes, that's a caramel+chocolate+mini-m&ms-covered apple. I stuck it in the fridge for later in the week, and it was divine.

But onto the apple picking... it really was the perfect fall day, and Anna expressed our happiness while walking toward the apple orchard.

The orchard we visited had macintosh and cortland apples, and we filled up a bucket with plenty of each.

Success! Rebecca (an amazing cook and blogger) took these apples home and planned to do amazing things with them. I look forward to tasting the results. :)

As we walked back to the general store, we saw signs for ice cream, and we couldn't resist. Not sure anyone could resist a place that offers apple-cider-donut flavored ice cream.

Wow. I was blown away by this ice cream. I ordered a small size and split the flavors - - half apple cider donut, and half fall pumpkin (bottom half of the cup). The chunks of donut throughout the a.c.d. flavor were delectable. And the fall pumpkin tasted so smooth and fresh - like the pumpkin had just been cut open. Both flavors were wonderfully creamy. From the web site, it looks like the ice cream comes from Treadwell's Ice Cream. Good to know, because I'm now on the hunt to find other places that sell Treadwell's!

I can't wait to go back to Smolak's for some more fall fun and feasting!

Smolak Farms
315 South Bradford St
North Andover, MA 01845
978-682-6332