If you have questions about apples, the folks at Royal Oak Farm Orchard probably have the answers…from growing to picking, and from eating to cooking. The answers are in their heads, on their website or in a family cookbook that’s available in the orchard’s gift shop.
When Peter Bianchini planted his first apple trees in 1992 near Harvard, Ill., little did he know it would grow into a U-pick operation with 29 varieties of apples and 16,000 apple trees on 160 acres. Today, he’s the patriarch of four generations, all working on the farm.
Royal Oak is open daily for picking now through mid-November, depending on weather. And it’s way more than just apples, with wagon rides, pumpkin patch, harvest barn, apple barn, cider mill, gift shop, bakery, restaurant, wedding/party pavilion, petting zoo, carousel, kiddie train and playground. Admission and parking is free; there’s a fee for the carousel, train and wagon rides. And, if you can’t make it to the orchard, you can order apples, honey, jams/jellies, apple cider donuts and the cookbook online.
“The Royal Oak Family Cookbook” has a hard cover with a plastic comb binding, 138 pages and approximately 200 recipes from family, friends and staff. Here are some unusual apple recipes. (The book includes lots of non-apple recipes, too.)
HOT CARMEL APPLE CIDER
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