As August draws to a close, the harvest begins. It isn’t quite fall yet, but I am ready for cooler days, and the flavors of fall. Apples are my transition theme for cooking and decorating this time of year.
Labor Day weekend is our local Apple Festival, and it was gorgeous weather for it with clear skies, cool temperatures and low humidity. The four day festival in downtown Hendersonville has apple orchards from all over the county setting up booths to sell fresh apples and apple treats.
The King Apple parade on Monday is the highlight of the event, with fire engines from every small town and county fire district parading down Main Street, lights flashing and sirens blaring. You can see one of the high school bands behind this group. These photos are from a previous parade.
Antique cars, decorated floats, local dignitaries and social clubs make the 45-minute parade fun to watch.
It is a great time to buy some apple treats too, like these French beignets. There are also apple breads, puddings, fried pies, ice cream and more on offer during the festival and at the orchards before and after that weekend.
Visiting the orchards in the area is fun too, and this is where I usually get the photographs I enter in the Mountain State Fair. This one, taken in 2023, won Best of Show for Amateur Photography that year. I was thrilled beyond measure!
Speaking of the Mountain State Fair, this week I’ll be one of several judges for the Crafts division. I did this last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Plus, as I get to judge the professional division since I do not have any entries there. There is so much talent on display!
With the fair comes cooking contests too. So, I thought you might like to see some of the apple recipes I’ve entered over the past few years.
First up, my blue ribbon winning recipe – Apple Upside Down Cake
Shrimp, Sweet Apple and Bacon Wraps won second place that year.
Spiced Apple Galette got an honorable mention last year.
Here are more of my apple recipes that never went to competition.
Ham and Apple Salad Wraps served in lettuce leaves. I make this often to take to picnics.
Apple Donuts are delicious and easy to make, baked in special pans.
Caramel Apple Coffee Cake is a favorite of My Sweet Babboo with lots of cinnamon.
Labor Day weekend also means an apple theme tablescape to enjoy our meals. This one from a few years ago on the pub table features apple green chargers and napkins with my apple dishware.
A few times, I’ve done a formal table in the dining room. This one has red chargers with a black iron candle holder with faux apples, the apple dishes and napkin rings, and the good silverplate flatware.
On this table, apple green chargers are paired with gold napkins reflecting the gold tones of the real apples in the ceramic basket.
Each year is a bit different, and this year I used the red chargers and napkins, and set the smaller pub table. The red ceramic basket has faux apples, and small red candles are set around it, along with the cut apple ceramic salt and pepper shakers.
Individual settings have the apple plates with the sweet birds, apple ramekins and apple napkin rings. Crystal water glasses along with every day flatware and individual salt and pepper shakers complete the settings.
So, starting with apples, we welcome cooler autumn days, and look forward to pumpkins and fall leaf color. I am working on Fall Fortnight, and will have several new ideas for you to bring in autumn colors and celebrate my favorite season.
Are you ready for fall?
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From My Carolina Home 
What a lovely and taste-tempting post! I haven’t been to the apple orchard yet, but I am going this week!
Can’t believe that upside down apple cake is from a Jiffy cake mix! Definitely going to try it! Love all your pretty dishes! Definitely ready for fall!! Mary Anne
September is the month to celebrate apples! Love all of your photos and those delicious looking apple dishes!
Carole,
You are amazingly talented not only with your sewing/quilting but also with your culinary skills and presentations thereof. You also have a generous heart with all your charity contributions. God’s blessings for all you do.
Beverly
Hi Carole .. you sure are getting me in the mood to start my fall decorating and trying some of your tasting looking recipes!
Thank you for your posts and all you do to encourage all of us to do better.
God bless you
Linda
September is my favorite month, and freshly picked apples are one of the reasons! Your apple festival always seems like a fun event. I love your apple themed table scapes, too. Have fun at the fair!
Apples are the focus of my September too Carole, and congrats on all your ribbon winning recipes! Winning a blue ribbon for your photograph is outstanding! Love your apple plates too, so pretty~
Jenna
Always ready for autumn, my favorite season. All those recipes! Yum
I am beyond ready for fall with the hot summer we have suffered through! Apples are just the best and I can’t wait for apple picking season here!
Always party time at your mountain retreat.
hard to believe it is time for apple festivals and fall festivals already – all of the apple products look so good.
I guess I am going to be the odd one LOL. I am not ready for fall. I love the spring and summer growing seasons when I can be outside. Fall is depressing for me because it means winter and cold weather is close. However your apple recipes look delicious. Hope you have a great week.
I had to google French beignets 🙂 Yumm!
Wow! They really celebrate apples there. Looks like loads of fun. Good luck with your fair entries. I always love seeing your tablescapes. Since we just got summer heat this week, I am not eager to jump into fall quite yet. I’ll let you do it first!!
That’s a nice bunch of Apple recipes. I’m not a lover of Doughnuts but your baked recipe looks good. I shall give it a try. Your Apple cake would be nice for an afternoon get-together with a bit leftover for breakfast! AND made with a box cake!! It looks lovely and I would never have thought to use a box cake. Clever you. 😊
I always enjoy looking at your table settings. I would be thrilled to sit at your table.
Mary :))
i’m ready to pick apples and make apple crisp. Then I plan to can applesauce to use as a sugar replacement when baking.
I’m gently returning to blogland after break. What fun, this festival. And you’re right about being a treasure trove of photo ops! Those recipes look delicious. We’re starting to see some apples but they really kick in during September here — just that far north! Happy week!
What a great post to welcome September, Carole! Love the apple festival and all the activities you’ve shown. The recipes, especially all the sweet treats, make me want to go get an apple fritter. My mom always baked apple pies, but in a sheet cake pan because there were so many of us! Love it, love the memories it all brings back (including climbing the neighbor’s apple tree where the apples came from!). Happy September.
J’aime l ‘automne et après la chaleur de cet été j ‘apprécie un peu de temps plus frais! J’ai des pommiers dans mon jardin et je fais des tartes aux pommes mais rien de sophistiqué! et aussi beaucoup de compote que je met au congélateur en petit pot individuel pour l’hiver quand les pommes du magasin ne sont même pas bonne à faire de la compote. J ‘admire toujours vos superbe tables dressées suivant les saisons. Bon mois de septembre de Bretagne
Merci, Bretagne. Quelle chance vous avez d’avoir des pommiers dans votre jardin! J’avais quelques pêchers à noyau adhérent, mais les ours les ont dévorés avant moi, puis les tempêtes les ont détruits. Notre région dépend beaucoup des vergers de pommiers et de la transformation du jus et de la compote de pommes. Merci beaucoup pour vos gentils mots concernant ma table. J’apprécie beaucoup une belle table pour un repas et j’adore le changement des saisons.
I think it is wonderful to see small towns still doing these festivals. i hope they can continue doing so.
I love all things apple!! Just served a gluten-free apple cake last night. Can you please remind me of when you need all the safelight bags in your hands? I have 5 sets but not sure of the deadline. Thanks so much
Thanks! I’d love to have the case sets by October, but I’ll be making a second delivery in January so anytime is good.