Hood River Fruit Loop
When asked what I was doing this weekend, my answer was, “I’m going on the Fruit Loop.” Which made people think I was losing my mind and becoming a fruit loop myself. But they were kind enough to ask, “What is that?”
Which led me to say, “I have no idea; I just know that we will see fruit. And we start in Hood River, Oregon.” But now that I know, because I have first-hand knowledge of the magic of the Fruit Loop, I am happy to say that the Fruit Loop is fall. It is autumn. It is what I will do in October from now on.
My friend, Joanne, and I drove to Hood River, relaxed and ready for whatever we would see. “Where do we go first?” I asked Joanne, thinking that she may have a favorite farm or fruit stand to visit. “Wherever,” was her reply. So, the first place we looked for was a place to eat. As one would when traveling for an hour. We found Egg River Café at 1313 Oak Street and their “Eggceptional Breakfast.”
After a delicious breakfast, a few cups of coffee, and a look at the Fruit Loop map, we had a plan. We now knew where to visit on The Loop. Mind you, we only judged the places, and chose them accordingly, by their names on this map. If it looked interesting, it made it on our list.
Number One on the list: Pearl’s Place. Of course, I would choose Pearl’s Place. Why? For two reasons: 1. It’s the first name on the list. We wanted to get started, and what better way to do that than to go to the first place on the list? 2. I have a good friend named Pearl. No relation to Pearl’s Place, but still a huge reason to check it out. They had a nice store there with fresh canned items. I bought something for Pearl with “Pearl’s Place” on the label. I mean, of course, I did!
Number nine on the list: Packer Orchards & Bakery. What drew us to that name? The word “bakery” of course! Oh, and “orchards” because it’s a fruit loop, we have to buy fruit! They had a wide range of fruit and lots of baked goods. Cookies, fruit empanadas, pie, and so much more. I would like to go back and buy them out so I can stock my freezer with baked goods for the holidays.
Numbers 12 and 13 on the list: Draper Girls. We had a wonderful time at Draper Girls because it was packed full of things to see and buy. The farm had flowers and u-pick orchards, and the store had cider to taste and buy. Joanne got the Rhubarb/Raspberry cider, and I had Blueberry/Lemon. We enjoyed them as we sat at charming metal outdoor tables and took selfies. We relaxed, walked around, petted the mommy goats ready to give birth, took pictures of the flowers, and listened to the kids playing. I think this was our favorite place because everyone was having a good time, and nobody was rushing to leave. Plus, the view of Mount Hood was breathtaking.
Number fifteen on the list was the opposite of Drapers. Kiyokawa Family Orchards had apples, apples, and more apples. So many varieties! And they were very regimented in their apple acquisition line. I honestly have no idea what’s in their store because you aren’t allowed to go in unless you have a box for the apples. We left quickly, not wanting to upset people with our leisurely stroll around the store.
Number nineteen on the list: Lavender Valley. Unfortunately, they were closed. We drove by and saw that it may have been either a bad year for lavender, or they were just done for the season. We made a plan to return in the summer. (If summer is a good time to go to a lavender farm.)
At our last stop, Apple Valley Country Store and Bakery, we got a unique treat that made us both extremely happy: a pear dumpling. “Pear Dumplings are back!” their leaderboard said. And how do you pass that up? The pear was cored and baked inside a crust. Once I ordered it, (big enough for two to share) they put the dumpling in a bowl, covered it in caramel sauce, and added a couple of vanilla ice cream scoops on the side. The pear was cooked inside the crust, it was still warm, and it was stuffed with cinnamon and sugar. This was the most decadent dessert I have had in a very long time. No wonder why they announce it on their billboard!
The good thing about the Hood River Fruit Loop is that it is so close to my home, and I can go visit those places anytime I want. I know that I’m very lucky about that. (Only an hour away!) Also, there are many other places that we didn’t see. So many vineyards, distilleries, and berry farms that we didn’t have time for. (And what is number 22: The Old Trunk? I must find out!) This October has been beautiful and there are many weekends left before the crops are done for the year. So, look out Fruit Loop; I’ll be coming back!
I just need to know what I can do with all the apples I brought home!
Just kidding. I know exactly what to do! I wonder how one would make an apple dumpling…
