PLAINFIELD - When a farm on the banks of the Connecticut River came up for sale in the early 1980s, Paul and Nancy Franklin saw their future flash before their eyes, and that vision centered around an orchard full of apples and all the wonderful things that could be done to celebrate their fall harvest every year.

River View Farm is all about apples. Since they bought the property in 1981, the year their first daughter was born, the Franklins have been filling the 11-acre orchard with new trees, broadening their varieties of apples to please pick-your-own enthusiasts and folks who have a favorite.

There are, of course, plenty of Macintosh — a favorite apple for munching — growing in the Franklin's orchard, but folks will also find the most popular New Hampshire varieties including Cortlands, Paulareds, Honey Crisp, Ginger Gold, Gala, Macoun, Empire, Northern Spy, Red Fuji, and even a few Red Delicious.

“We're also now growing some new varieties including Snow Crisp, Crimson Crisp, and Hampshires,” said Nancy Franklin.

When they first started out in farming, the bottom was falling out of the wholesale apple business, so the Franklins immediately decided to focus on agritourism. Instead of bringing the produce grown on the farm to the people, the Franklins brought the people to the farm. In early summer, it was to comb the acres of pick-your-own strawberries for sweet, delicious fruit, and in the fall, apples were the draw.

But the Franklins learned quickly that fall was really the most important time on the farm for visitors, so the strawberries were replaced with more pick-your-own apple trees. But the new trees weren't enough.

“It doesn't take very long to pick a half-bushel of apples,” Nancy said, “but people still wanted to hang around the farm, so we started finding things for them to do.”

A corn maze gives folks a chance to get lost for a while on the farm, and the orchard gift shop features everything from Nancy's homemade pies and apple sauce, to dried flowers and pumpkins grown on the farm. There are even pick-your-own raspberries down by the river that continue to produce through November most years.

But what keeps people coming back seems to be cups of Paul's fresh-pressed apple cider, served hot or cold, accompanied by one of Nancy's homemade buttermilk doughnuts.

“I make about 180 of the doughnuts a day, and we sell out every weekend,” said Nancy. “It's my grandmother's recipe, and though there are similar recipes out there, I've never come across one exactly like this.” She keeps the recipe a closely guarded secret.

Every Saturday and Sunday in the fall, while folks are wandering through the orchard or trying to find their way out of the maze, Nancy is busy in the kitchen mixing, cutting and frying the handmade doughnuts to a crisp golden brown on the outside, and a tender, moist cake on the inside.

Nancy's doughnuts aren't terribly sweet, and aren't coated in sugar. Instead, they're perfect for dunking in a cup of hot cider, or just eating warm and fresh straight from Nancy's kitchen.

For more information visit www.riverviewnh.com


Surrounded by apples from Labor Day until spring, Nancy Franklin seeks out new and interesting ways to use the apples grown at River View Farm:



Apple, Bacon and Gorgonzola Puff Pastry Pizza

1 sheet of puff pastry dough

1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese

1 shallot (or half of an onion), minced

4 slices bacon , fried and crumbled

approx. 1 tablespoon honey

1 apple, diced

Sprinkling of mozzarella



Roll out pastry dough on lightly floured surface, to about 10 x 14 inches. Fold edges over a half inch. Press with fork to keep the edges from puffing up too much. Brush edges with water.

After cooking bacon, use same pan to sauté shallot until golden, adding honey once shallot is cooked. Spread shallot/honey over puff pastry. Sprinkle a handful of mozzarella over all. Crumble bacon on top, add remaining mozzarella, then apple. Drizzle honey over that, then the gorgonzola.

Bake at 400F for 20 minutes and enjoy!



French Toast Strata with Apple Cider Syrup

(From The Swan's Palette, by the Forward Arts Foundation of Atlanta)



For the French Toast:

Oven at 325F

1 pound French bread, cut into cubes

8 oz. cream cheese cut into small cubes

8 eggs

2 1/2 cups milk

6 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

1/4 cup maple syrup



Layer half of the bread in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with the cream cheese and remaining bread. Blend the eggs, milk, butter and maple syrup in a blender; pour over the bread and cheese. Press the layers down with a spatula. Refrigerate, covered, 2 to 24 hours, then bake, uncovered, at 325F for 35-40 minutes or until center is set and edges are golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.



For the Syrup:

1 tsp. cinnamon

8 tsp. cornstarch

1 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 cups apple cider (or apple juice if cider is no longer in season)

4 Tbsp. butter or margarine

Combine the cinnamon, cornstarch and sugar in a small saucepan and mix well. Stir in the lemon juice and cider. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils, stirring constantly. Cook for 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Can be made 1 day ahead.