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OCTOBER 2009 EDITION:
Greetings to all!
There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day in the fall
around here! As a result, this may be the shortest Crane's newsletter
of all! We are busy making donuts, pies, bread and soon, apple
cider!
We will start pressing fresh apple cider within a couple of
weeks. Our cider is a blend of tart and sweet apples to give
it the taste of crunching into a fresh apple. We use only hand
picked apples, never drop apples off of the ground. They are
washed and squeezed and then the juice is filtered and quickly
cooled to refrigerated temperatures. We then draw it off into
gallon jugs. Refrigerated cider will hold about 2 weeks before
it will start to "turn". At first it tastes slightly
carbonated before it goes to vinegary flavor. So, the only way
to hold unpasteurized cider is to freeze it at it's freshest,
which we do with much of our wintertime cider. That is what we
serve in the restaurant all year until time to press again.
If you haven't been to Crane's yet this autumn to pick apples,
well...come on down! Michigan is reported to have one of the
largest apple crops in many years this season so fill up those
extra refrigerators. Did you know that some varieties will keep
all winter? If you don't have an extra refrigerator, find a cool
spot in the basement or garage. A summertime cooler will work
for your apples too. If you put them in your garage, just make
sure that they don't freeze this winter. Throw a blanket over
a bag of apples to protect them. Ask the u-pick folks which kind
of apples are "keeper" apples...those guys out in the
orchards are so darn helpful!!!
Once again I want to thank our customers for their continued
patronage. You just don't know how it makes us feel to have you
come back time and time again. Just the other day, I was out
to dinner at Butch's in Holland and our young waitress recognized
me from Crane's. She told me that her best childhood memories
with her family were when they came to Crane's. I was in awe.
It makes us try even harder to please those who choose to come
through the door.
A busy day lies ahead so....hope to see everyone soon!
Sincerely,
Rebecca, Laura and Lue
P.S. Check out our newest recipe on our "recipes"
page, a spied apple cider salad dressing - we think you'll like
it!
SEPTEMBER 2009 EDITION:
Hello,
As I sit and think about what it is I want to say in this Sept.
newsletter, I am a bit amazed that this is 2009. I go back in
time, looking briefly at the years gone by, kind of like flipping
through a pack of worn playing cards. Not quite a full deck,
but there are now 37 years since the Pie Pantry first opened
in 1972 and 41 years since we ventured into the cider and donut
business. We have not only watched our own families change and
grow, we have had the privilege of watching many of yours. It
is humbling for us to hear someone say that they first came into
Crane's with their grandparents and now they are bringing in
their children and grandchildren!
And speaking of the past, be sure to check out the website's
history pages. We decided there
was no better place to put some of those old pictures floating
around so, we've just added a newly unearthed group from our
"earliest" days. And please, if YOU have any old (or
new) pictures of a memory of being at Crane's, we would love
a peek!
Back to business. Fall is almost here!!! I know that summer
seemed short this year with the cool weather, but one look at
the heavily-laden apple trees on the hillsides of Crane Orchards
proves that the summer did just fine by them. Keep checking Crane
Orchards.com site for continual updating on what is ready for
picking. And then, when the car has bottomed out with apples
that the family could not stop picking, we hope you stop in at
the Pie Pantry to re-fuel. We love to hear how you managed to
pick the biggest and prettiest apples in the whole orchard.
Just a reminder! We will be staying open all winter this year
except for Mondays; (our new hours for the entire year are posted
on our site). So stop for lunch or to get a pie to treat everyone
back at the office. We have cider for sale all year long and
will have apples by the bag available in our cold storage and
that supply usually lasts until March before they're gone.
So, Fall 2009----ready, set and go!!!
Sincerely,
Rebecca, Laura and Lue
AUGUST 2009 EDITION
Happy summer of 2009!
At long last we are starting up our newsletters and sending cool
coupons to all of our loyal Crane's customers and friends.
First the news! If you haven't found out firsthand already,
we have introduced our newly formed "we love our customers
and really appreciate them" program--the "Pie-Biter's
Club"! For every 10 whole pies, crisps or strudels you buy,
we will give ya a FREE one! After being in the pie business for
almost 37 years (this September!) we figure that it has been
a heck of a lot of pies going out the door. We wanted to find
a way to thank you all for your business, friendship and support
of Michigan agriculture. Your nifty "Pie Biter's" card
fits in your wallet and we will stamp it with each whole dessert
that you buy, whether it is baked or frozen. After you fill up
the card with 10 stamps---the eleventh is free with our thanks!!
There isn't an expiration date so you can take your time filling
it up or, like some pie-biters have already, get your free one
after only a few stops at Crane's!
More big news! Starting this January 2010 we are extending
our winter hours and will be open Tues. through Sun. from 11
am to 4 pm. So stop in this winter any day but Monday for lunch
and of course--pie!
If you haven't noticed already, come on by and check out our
new look! Our building is proudly sporting a new and bright paint
job with a shiny new apple tree on it! We thought it was about
time since the others were painted on in 1968 and then in 1984!
You can't miss it! Also, back here at home, after 2 years in
the car hospital due to having been rear-ended, is our beloved
1930 Model A Ford pick up truck and the restoration is beautiful!
Look for Crane's Pie Pantry Model A in all of Fennville's local
parades too, driven by Bob Crane himself! Thanks Dad!
So thanks again to everyone who continues to come by to visit
us and, have a super summer!!
Sincerely,
Rebecca, Laura and Lue
P.S.And, if you haven't visited our "online" home
in a while, be sure to pay a visit and click to www.cranespiepantry.com
to see our new website and all of its added features including
photo tours, recipes and lots more... |