FAQ
Q. I LOST MY BAKING INSTRUCTIONS FOR MY FROZEN PIE!
A. Crane’s pies and desserts are meant to be baked from frozen and most will be baked as follows. Remove pie from freezer and take out of plastic bag and place on a covered baking sheet. Leave the pie in the pie plate or pan it comes in. Place in a preheated oven at 400 degrees and bake for 15 min. Reduce the heat to 350 and continue baking for approximately another hour and 15 minutes. Look for the pie or dessert to be over all brown and bubbly. If the center looks a little transparent leave to bake another 10 to 15 min. For chicken pot pies the bake time will be longer. Call us at 269-561-2297 with more questions!
Q. I LET MY FROZEN UNBAKED PIE THAW OUT! NOW WHAT DO IT DO?
A. Don’t worry! The best plan is if the dessert or pie is not completely thawed put it back into the freezer to freeze up and then bake later. If a pie has thawed some and gets juice on the crust, re freezing it is the best option. When the pie is frozen again and you are ready to bake it, remove it from the freezer and gently rinse the juice from the crust before baking and then bake it according to the instructions on the label that came with it. If you want to bake it thawed, place it on a baking sheet and put it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for an hour to an hour and 15 min. Look for it to be over all brown and bubbly. Chicken pot pies may take longer.
Q. IS YOUR SWEET APPLE CIDER PASTEURIZED?
A. No it is not. Crane’s has never used apples that have fallen on the ground but rather only hand picked and washed fruit goes in our apple cider to ensure taste and consumers safety. However, the FDA recommends that unpasteurized apple cider not be consumed by women who are pregnant or small children under the age of two or someone with a weakened immune system.
Q. HOW LONG WITH MY SWEET APPLE CIDER LAST IF I JUST BOUGHT IT?
A. This kind of cider will last about 10 days to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. It can be frozen to make it last if you aren’t going to drink it right away. It can also be boiled with spices for spiced cider and the refrigerated shelf life is about 4 weeks.
Q. ARE SWEET CIDER AND HARD CIDER THE SAME?
A. They start out the same as just the juice of crushed apples but the hard cider is fermented and has an alcohol content about the same as an I.P.A. Beer.
Q. CAN YOU SHIP YOUR CIDER?
A. No, we are not allowed to ship the apple cider. We have it at our location in Fennville and at Crane’s In The City at 11 east 8th St., Holland, MI 49423 by the gallon, ½ gallon or by the glass.
Q. WHAT KIND OF APPLES DO YOU PRESS INTO APPLE CIDER?
A. It is a blend of sweet and tart apples with more of an emphasis on the tart. We use grade out apples which are the small ones and the ones not pretty enough to sell. What is left of the apple after pressing is called pomace and that is taken away and fed to livestock. Waste not want not!
Q. DOES CRANE’S TAKE RESERVATIONS?
A. We do take reservations Monday through Friday for groups of 8 or more. We will take reservations for 8 or more on the weekends from November through July. We do not take reservations on weekends from August through October and it is a first come first serve basis. We do not take call ahead reservations.
Q. WHAT KIND OF APPLES DO YOU USE IN YOUR DESSERTS?
A. We use Michigan grown Ida Red apples. Ida Reds are a cross between a Jonathan and a Wagner and is one of the best tasting, keeping and baking apple that Michigan grows. There are many kinds of wonderful baking apples grown in Michigan such as Jonathans, Jonagolds, Cortland, Northern Spies and Fugi. And while we get asked about Granny Smith apples, these are not grown commercially in Michigan.
A. Crane’s pies and desserts are meant to be baked from frozen and most will be baked as follows. Remove pie from freezer and take out of plastic bag and place on a covered baking sheet. Leave the pie in the pie plate or pan it comes in. Place in a preheated oven at 400 degrees and bake for 15 min. Reduce the heat to 350 and continue baking for approximately another hour and 15 minutes. Look for the pie or dessert to be over all brown and bubbly. If the center looks a little transparent leave to bake another 10 to 15 min. For chicken pot pies the bake time will be longer. Call us at 269-561-2297 with more questions!
Q. I LET MY FROZEN UNBAKED PIE THAW OUT! NOW WHAT DO IT DO?
A. Don’t worry! The best plan is if the dessert or pie is not completely thawed put it back into the freezer to freeze up and then bake later. If a pie has thawed some and gets juice on the crust, re freezing it is the best option. When the pie is frozen again and you are ready to bake it, remove it from the freezer and gently rinse the juice from the crust before baking and then bake it according to the instructions on the label that came with it. If you want to bake it thawed, place it on a baking sheet and put it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for an hour to an hour and 15 min. Look for it to be over all brown and bubbly. Chicken pot pies may take longer.
Q. IS YOUR SWEET APPLE CIDER PASTEURIZED?
A. No it is not. Crane’s has never used apples that have fallen on the ground but rather only hand picked and washed fruit goes in our apple cider to ensure taste and consumers safety. However, the FDA recommends that unpasteurized apple cider not be consumed by women who are pregnant or small children under the age of two or someone with a weakened immune system.
Q. HOW LONG WITH MY SWEET APPLE CIDER LAST IF I JUST BOUGHT IT?
A. This kind of cider will last about 10 days to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. It can be frozen to make it last if you aren’t going to drink it right away. It can also be boiled with spices for spiced cider and the refrigerated shelf life is about 4 weeks.
Q. ARE SWEET CIDER AND HARD CIDER THE SAME?
A. They start out the same as just the juice of crushed apples but the hard cider is fermented and has an alcohol content about the same as an I.P.A. Beer.
Q. CAN YOU SHIP YOUR CIDER?
A. No, we are not allowed to ship the apple cider. We have it at our location in Fennville and at Crane’s In The City at 11 east 8th St., Holland, MI 49423 by the gallon, ½ gallon or by the glass.
Q. WHAT KIND OF APPLES DO YOU PRESS INTO APPLE CIDER?
A. It is a blend of sweet and tart apples with more of an emphasis on the tart. We use grade out apples which are the small ones and the ones not pretty enough to sell. What is left of the apple after pressing is called pomace and that is taken away and fed to livestock. Waste not want not!
Q. DOES CRANE’S TAKE RESERVATIONS?
A. We do take reservations Monday through Friday for groups of 8 or more. We will take reservations for 8 or more on the weekends from November through July. We do not take reservations on weekends from August through October and it is a first come first serve basis. We do not take call ahead reservations.
Q. WHAT KIND OF APPLES DO YOU USE IN YOUR DESSERTS?
A. We use Michigan grown Ida Red apples. Ida Reds are a cross between a Jonathan and a Wagner and is one of the best tasting, keeping and baking apple that Michigan grows. There are many kinds of wonderful baking apples grown in Michigan such as Jonathans, Jonagolds, Cortland, Northern Spies and Fugi. And while we get asked about Granny Smith apples, these are not grown commercially in Michigan.
