It’s like apples and squid?

Knowing that my October weekends were pretty tightly jammed, I decided to get the apple-(cider donut)picking out-of-the-way a little early in the season.  We have a regular semi-secret spot down in Greene County that we’ve been going to for years, but something told me to call prior to hopping in the car this year.  Good thing – sadly enough they’re no longer in business. I suspect the family’s children are all grown up and have moved on. After a quick internet search, I located another option and we got on the road and headed south.

Our destination, Boehm’s, was easy enough to find and we were greeted by a friendly gentleman who explained the parking layout and  what was available.  Quinnie and I got our bag and began picking.  And sampling, of course.  We were thrilled with the plentiful Empires and impressed by the size of the gargantuan apples in a nearby row of trees.  The sun was shining and we thoroughly enjoyed our picking and pickings.

We visited the rustic, but well-organized, shop where we weighed our fruit, grabbed a gallon of cider and picked up some passable donuts.  I found

them to be a bit dense, but the boys are a bit less discerning.  My hunger was not adequately addressed by the quality of the donuts and I made a quick decision – a lunch date for two was necessary.

As I thought of the options down Greene County way, Yannis Too came to mind.  Or specifically Yanni’s reputation for having the area’s best calamari.  I did a quick online search, made a call to confirm availability and hours of service, and drove to the banks of the Hudson River in Coeymans.  We were offered a riverside table and quickly ordered, Quinn going with his usual chicken tenders, while I selected Yanni’s “Famous Calamari” tossed in a lemon-garlic wine sauce for $9.99.

We passed the time waiting for our meal feeding oysters crackers to one very lucky duck – a thrill for my little city guy.  The calamari arrived and was a generous serving of tentacles and rings and was definitely tasty.  I only wish it had been a bit hotter.  Maybe it is just me, but if fried foods are not almost painfully hot, I find that they sit in my belly in a not really comfortable way.  I wouldn’t hesitate to order it again – or even try some of the other variations on their menu, but I would want to share the plate with someone else.

I know people really love some of the orchards closer to Albany, but I  can’t abide the crowds. If you haven’t been to Greene County to get your fall fill of apple-picking, give it a shot.  But don’t listen to me, take it from Quinn whose first words the following morning were: “Mom, yesterday was really a lot of fun.”  How do you like those apples?