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Baker. Cook. Gardener. Animal Lover.

Monday, February 15, 2010

My Second Favorite Place On Earth








This is my second favorite place on earth. It is The Apple Farm and it is located way up in northern California in an area called The Anderson Valley. Thhe coast of Mendicino is about a 30 minute drive away. It was started by Don and Sally Schmitt...they were the ones that originally started The French Laundry Restaurant which is in the Napa Valley in the very small town of Yountville.In 1992, Thomas Keller came to look at The French Laundry which was for sale. He said," I came to Yountville on the advice of a friend to look at The French Laundry. The grounds were enclosed by honeysuckle, and climbing roses covered an arched trellis leading to a courtyard. It seemed as if I'd been heading there my whole working life."

Thomas Keller bought the reataurant from Don and Sally..and as Ruth Reichl wrote in The New York Times "Thomas Keller, chef/proprietor of The French Laundry in the Napa Valley-the most exciting place to eat in the United States. Thomas is a purist, a man obsessed with getting it right."

Don and Sally left Yountville and came up to the tiny town of Philo and started a working farm called The Apple Farm. They planted an apple orchard and sold apples, fresh brown eggs, flowers and other produce from their farm at a roadside stand.

Eventually, Sally started cooking classes. They then added small out buildings in the apple orchrds which were turned into rooms for people to stay that were there for the weekend cooking classes.The rooms are all small, simple and charming.

Julie and I have had the pleasure of going there and taking cooking classes from Sally. No matter what the season, she always has something wonderful to cook from their organic garden. Don and Sally bake bread and make delicious meals at their Apple Farm. After the class is over, you are invited to stay and have lunch or supper. If it is a warm day, it will be served out on the courtyard. Julie and I were lucky because when we were there it was a warm spring day in April and we sat out in an orchard of apple blossoms amoung potted pots of tulips and daffodils. We sat in the warm sun and visited with people from all over ...we made friends... and we had a great time. The Schmitts and their family are a delight. It took us 8 hours to get there...traveling from Cambria to San Francisco, over the Golden Gate bridge and another four hours way up into the Napa Valley and beyond. We even saw a wild boar running down the road. Philo is small and remote....but it was worth every mile....

33 comments:

  1. I still smile remembering when we saw that giant black boar gallop across the road in front of us.
    HUUUH? "Was that a pig?" I croaked
    Then we started laughing........
    That was the most relaxing cooking class ever, don't you think? The best too.
    Makes me want to really step it up for dinner tonight. I'll just go to the market and buy whats in season, just like Sally
    xx
    donkey in the pines

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  2. What a wonderful post. We've been to Mendicino but not sure about Youngville or Philo but think not. Dave and I have spoken about how lovely it would be to eat at The French Laundry and appreciate the little history lesson you've given. Perhaps we could eat at Per Se, their NYC restaurant...hope springs eternal.

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  3. This is an excellent post. I love out of the way simple but excellent places to eat and/or stay. I bet the air has the fabulous scent of apples.
    I went to Sebastopol once, and the town smelled like apples - makes one very happy!

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  4. Beautiful! It looks so warm and relaxing! :)

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  5. once again, sounds like heaven! thanks for sharing this!!! I am still day dreaming about your farmhouse gathering... Maybe I will have my own version for myself, ha ha ha! Have a great monday!!!
    xoxo
    ...little owl

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  6. Nothing is better than an apple orchard. We have one in northern {door county} wisconsin, that is a must to stop at. Is that an apple crisp I smell?

    Thanks for sharing this story.

    Kate xoxo

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  7. Beautiful! Thanks for sharing! We just got back from the Mendocino area and visiting friends in Fort Bragg! Those pics brought back the beautiful scenery!

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  8. I love Philo and the Anderson Valley but have never heard of the Apple Farm, it sounds like a place that I should take my sister to I'm sure we would enjoy it.

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  9. What a lovely and warmy place, Kary ! So peaceful and all this nature around makes us think that happiness is really close to us :)

    Beautiful and inspiring week !
    xoxoxoxo

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  10. i'll totally have to check this out! i bet it is beautiful when the apple blossoms come out. thanks for the heads up!

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  11. Oh to lounge and have lunch in the orchards...that place looks like my dream home. I love how green and beautiful everything is.

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  12. Oh my goodness.... I would just love to take one of those cooking lessons and stay on that apple farm. Again heaven!
    I can see why this is one of your most favourite places.
    xox Thank you for sharing with us! xox

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  13. How beautiful!! I'd love to travel to Northern California one day... lovely♥

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  14. O how I want to go. Once I ate at The French Laundry. I don't remember what I ate, but I remember sitting on a bench outside waiting for our table. I remember the friends I was with and how cared for I felt.

    The Apple Farm looks and sounds heavenly. A trip to dream about.

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  15. I can see wy this one of your favorite places on earth-it would be mine too. Thanks for sharing this with all of your foodie friends. This was awesome.

    btw, I did not know Thomas Keller bought the French Laundry, that was a very interesting tidbit of information. Eating at the French Laundry ( I have only passed it driving) is on my bucket list of things I must do before I die.

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  16. Ah, another great find. I shall make a note.

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  17. Oh, that is beautiful. It made me long for spring when the air is rain-fresh. It also reminded me of when I was a child and we had 3 apple trees in our yard (two acres). The bees just swarmed around them and the blossoms were so beautiful. It looks very peaceful there. It looks like 'how life should be'. Thanks for your story. Oh wow! I am just seeing these aprons on the side bar---gosh it makes me ache for spring! Very pretty!

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  18. So beautiful! I can see why it's on your favorite places list!

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  19. beautiful photographs, so pretty- I would love to visit there- right about now as it is snowing!

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  20. You have had some wonderful adventures and no wonder you are such a gourmet cook. You've studied under some of the best. Now, I hope that, if we lunch in Templeton, perhaps on my way back to SF the Friday after the conference, maybe I can stop at the farm for a cup of tea!!! Our class ends at noon.

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  21. Just beautiful Kary, I have the French Laundry cookbook & we tried to get into Per Se in NY last visit - failed, obviously! But the Apple Farm looks amazing too. We need a lovely long holiday exploring California I think!! BTW, LOVE your ever changing sidebar pictures...they're worth the visit by themselves! With love & hugs, Rachel Alice & China xoxo

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  22. What a beautiful place. Your description of the flowers and all that nature offers there is so enticing. Lovely pics too.

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  23. Absolutely gorgeous...very "Anne of Green Gables." If only more of us could live and work in such a beautiful place. Maybe one day!

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  24. It sounds heavenly - I'd love something like this - they are truly living the dream and also bringing it to others in their own little way...I can see why you adore it! xxx

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  25. The Apple Farm sounds like a fabulous place to visit. Charming!

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  26. Very pretty spot. Kind of reminds me of a few places here in British Columbia.

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  27. My Family and I are wanting to take a trip down the California Coast this summer and I am keeping a book full of places to visit.I will add this to it.Simply Beautiful! ~Kim

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  28. love this story... it is wonderful... x pam

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  29. Thank you for the wonderful tour...it sounds so charming. It's hard to picture the flowers blooming, it is snowing heavily here in New England. Thanks for taking me away for a few minutes....

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  30. Oh, I just LOVE the blue trim with the natural, stained wood!

    Beautifully written account. I do love your style!

    I mentioned you in my Claude Snowman story today :)

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  31. Thank you for all the beautiful things you have written about and illustrated with your immensely beautiful and joyful images!

    I also scrolled down your side column, what delights!
    I think I also spotted David Lebovitz's sugar cookies (I forget the name, made with large grain turbinado sugar).

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Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by. I appreciate all your kind comments more than you can know.