Overlook Farm Market

So much for not posting from the road: Wifi is a wonderful thing.

Off the W9, which runs parallel to the Hudson's west bank, is this farm stall selling, now, more apples than you've ever seen. Or than I've ever seen. And more cultivars. About an hour after leaving New York City, we pulled up hoping for some picnic provisions. We had the trusty cooler backpack from Crate and Barrel in the trunk, stocked with an ice-sleeve for some white wine, the little cutting board, the sharp knife, the napkins and the small glasses. We didn't have knives or forks (yes, they may be necessary) as I'd forgotten them (the night before we left was rather fraught due to an Upsetting Email, and I was more scatterbrained than usual). So we walked in, saw apples, smelled crates of quinces, and then  found a fridgeful of sandwiches costing no more than $2 each. Already we were in another country. We bought three: egg salad (Vince), liverwurst and mustard (and lettuce) - for me! - and turkey ($1!) for Maman. Also some fresh cider donuts, and four apples. We had some triple cream brie in our back pack.

 

Apples were being delivered by truck.

 

Mutsu and Red Ida...

 

The kind lady who ran the market and who perhaps owned the farm invited us to use their own picnic table behind the building  in a quiet garden next to a stream. I looked at their orchards and visited  a goat. Each row of trees was different. Stripes of fruit on the ground, as though they'd just been shaken.

 

Goats are so odd.

We had to choose an apple to go with our picnic, and eventually decided on Red Ida.Tart and sweet.

 

The Necessaries for a Good Picnic:

1. A tiny cutting board

2. A sharp, serious knife

3. Glasses. Not plastic, not paper. Glasses. They can be small, they can be cheap, but they must be glass.

4. Napkins. Useful for other things, too. White flags for surrender. Strainers for water. Bags for berries.

5. Tin plates (forgotten at home)

6. Dry ice sleeve for wine or drink

7. Tablecloth or kikoi. Useful for setting the scene. Purely aesthetic.

If you can only choose one of the above, choose the knife.