Checking in at: Apple Dumpling Cafe, West Chenango NY

Apple farm. Apple season. Apple pancakes on the menu. Guess what we ate? The twist? The apples are raw and shredded, folded into the batter. Not served as a goopy apple pie topping. With local New York State maple syrup, it was good enough to finish, which is saying something. A short stack of pancakes at the cafe consists of two, which may not sound like much but they are thick and broad, hiding the plate below. We’d never before finished a pair.

Homemade donuts, in sugar-cinnamon, powdered sugar-cinnamon, powdered sugar, and plain varieties

Apple Hills is a working, pick-your-own farm. If you don’t need the experience and just want to bring home fresh apples, they’ve got bags of them ready for purchase. They grow an unusually large variety of apples here, although they ripen at different times of the season, so you can’t try them all in a single visit.

House-baked bread as well

Here was their anticipated ripening schedule for the season just ended:

Paula Red Early September
Ginger Gold Early September
McIntosh Early September
Cortland Mid September
Gala Mid September
Honey Crisp Mid September
Macoun Late September
Empire Early October
Jonagold Mid October
Red Delicious Mid October
Golden Delicious Mid October
Ida Red Mid October
Crispin Mid October
Northern Spy Mid October

A short stack of pancakes consists of two humongous cakes, more than enough to sate all but the ravenously hungry. A baby stack is one cake, probably a nice breakfast for one normal appetite, while a large stack of four flapjacks will entitle you to another large stack, if you finish them!

The farm has been in the family since 1848. The first apple trees were planted in 1920. Show up earlier in the year for their own berries, which also turn up in the pancakes in season.