There are thousands of apple varieties, and luckily for us, Rittman Orchards & Farm Market in Doylestown grows roughly 80 of them.
Some will be available for picking at the orchard’s amped-up Fall Festival over three consecutive weekends, beginning this Friday-Sunday.
The weekends also will serve as a debut of sorts for its Bent Ladder hard cidery and future winery, which had a quiet opening earlier this month in a red structure with metal barn siding on the orchard grounds. Hours are currently limited to noon to 9 p.m. Saturdays.
At least three kinds of cider will be available, all made with apples from the 125-acre Rittman Orchards. Well, one is actually a cyser, fermented with honey and apple juice, said Chris Vodraska, 36, part of the family that bought Rittman Orchards in 2004.
“We just got it on tap two hours ago,” Vodraska said Monday evening.
Vodraska said his brother Matt, 32, calls the cidery’s atmosphere “rustic chic.” A cheese board and other snacks will be available for purchase.
This weekend’s lineup includes apple butter-making outside in a big kettle, wagon rides, acoustic music and an appearance by “Johnny Appleseed.” Flamingo Jack’s food truck will set up on each day.
On Saturday, representatives of the Wayne County Humane Society will bring dogs and cats for an Adoption Day event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The apple butter-making, scheduled for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, will be rescheduled for the following weekend if there is heavy rain, said Lynn Toghill, a Rittman Orchards employee who helps to organize its events.
For a schedule for all three weekends (Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 1-2 and 8-9), go to http://rittmanorchards.com and click on Events.
The Rittman Orchards Farm Market, offering a variety of baked goods, apples, other produce and more, will be open during the festival. That’s where you pay to pick your own apples.
Peg and Dale Vodraska — parents of Chris and Matt — had been in the produce business for decades when they bought Rittman Orchards in 2004. They rebuilt the market in 2005. The family grows melons, blackberries, raspberries, peaches and other items to sell at the store.
Rittman Orchards & Farm Market, at 13548 Mount Eaton Road (state Route 94) in Doylestown, is open year-round. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, closed Mondays and some holidays. Phone is 330-925-4152.
More fall festivities
Bauman Orchards, about a 10-minute drive from Rittman Orchards, will continue with its Fall Festivals from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Oct. 1.
A Willie Nelson and friends tribute band, 5 Star Entertainment, will play from 1 to 4 p.m. Also scheduled: pony rides, a hay maze, petting zoo and wagon rides.
Oh, the grub: hot dogs, apple cider, homemade caramel apples and more will be available.
For information, go to www.baumanorchards.com and click on Events. Bauman Orchards is at 161 Rittman Ave. in Rittman. Phone is 330-925-6861.
Eat Local Week
This year’s Downtown Akron Restaurant Week, running Monday through Oct. 1, has been dubbed Eat Local Week.
That’s because restaurants signing up to participate in the week committed to featuring local (or localish) food in their featured dishes.
The five participating downtown restaurants are Crave, DBA, Jilly’s Music Room, Nuevo Modern Mexican & Tequila Bar and 3 Point.
Crave’s menu includes mushrooms from Bascani Family Farms in Pennsylvania; grape tomatoes, leeks and candy stripe beets from Middleford, Ohio, and goat cheese from Mackenzie Creamery in Hiram. To see more menus, go to www.downtownakron.com. (Some menus had not yet been posted as of press time Tuesday.)
The following week, Flury’s, the breakfast and lunch place in Cuyahoga Falls, will be the lone participant in Eat Local Week for areas outside of downtown Akron. More information on that later.
Downtown Akron Partnership, the nonprofit that has previously organized Downtown Restaurant Week, this year teamed up with the area nonprofit Countryside Conservancy, which presents farmers markets in the area.
A lotta Russian
The annual Something Russian Festival at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Suffield Township actually is a whole lot of things Russian.
The event draws an estimated 5,000-plus visitors, and is a bit unusual in that it is a weekday fest, running 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 4-5, a Tuesday and Wednesday.
It again will feature a load of Russian and ethnic food: pierogi, chicken Kiev, stuffed cabbage, blini (Eastern European-style crepes with cheese filling), borscht (beet, beef and cabbage soup), potato pancakes, grilled cevapcici (Russian sausage of beef and pork), and halushki (dumplings with sautéed cabbage and onions). Baked goods, including apricot rolls and nut cookies, will be available.
Also on the bill: music, dancing and tours of the church. Russian gift items, including an assortment of nesting dolls, will be offered for sale.
Go to www.somethingrussian.com for information. Proceeds benefit the church and its outreach and mission programs. St. Nicholas Orthodox Church is at 755 S. Cleveland Ave., at state Route 532 and U.S. Route 224.
Italian Heritage Month
The public is invited to the Italian American Club, 1521 Ninth St. in Cuyahoga Falls, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1 to help kick off Italian Heritage Month in October.
The dinner — presented by the Italian American Citizens Club and the Sicilian-American Women’s Club — will feature spaghetti and meatballs, salad, bread and butter, cake and coffee. Cost is $7. A cash bar will be available.
On Oct. 9, the Council of Italian American Societies of Summit County will mark the month by laying a wreath at Columbus Square at the Akron Fulton International Airport. This ceremony — open to the public — will be followed by a 10:30 a.m. Mass at St. Anthony Catholic Church, 83 Mosser Place in Akron’s North Hill neighborhood. A catered lunch will follow in the church’s gym.
Autumn brunch
An Autumn Brunch will be offered by University of Akron hospitality management students from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 9 at the student-run Crystal Room Bistro in Gallucci Hall at 360 Grant St., just south of Exchange Street on Grant Street.
The menu features made-to-order omelets and a build-your-own waffle station, as well as a roast beef carving station. On the buffet are lemon pepper cod, herb roasted chicken, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, roasted potatoes and salad. Desserts include pumpkin cupcakes.
Price is $18.95; $14.95 for ages 60 and older; and free for children 3 and younger. Parking is free.
Proceeds help to pay for educational experiences, such as attending food-related trade shows. Phone 330-972-6615 for reservations. The Crystal Room is also open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday.
Kingfish restaurant
The new Kingfish seafood restaurant — a new concept from Hospitality Restaurants, the Rosewood Grill folks — is scheduled to open in early October, on “Restaurant Hill” off state Route 18 in Copley Township.
Look for the building with the 20-foot metal sailfish. Significant renovations to the building include a gray clapboard exterior and faux tower reminiscent of Cape Cod eateries.
Kingfish’s chef will be Marc Standen, who worked many years at the helm of Blue Point Grille, the group’s flagship seafood restaurant, and as corporate chef for other properties in the group.
The address is 115 Montrose West Ave. The building most recently housed the Tres Potrillos Mexican restaurant, which moved last year to the nearby Fiore’s building.
Cupcakes for a Cause
Here’s a fundraiser with a fun, sweet menu.
The second annual Cupcakes for a Cause will be 5 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at the Portage Country Club in Akron.
It will feature cupcakes made by Diane Ross and Tamra Walker of Cake Stand Boutique, including Sensational Southern Hummingbird (pineapple, nuts, cinnamon and cream cheese frosting), chocolate ganache and Red Velvet Delight.
Cost of $25 includes sparkling wine and hors d’oeuvres, plus a silent auction. Portage Country Club is at 240 N. Portage Path.
For reservations, call 330-869-5726 by Sept. 28. Proceeds benefit the Breast Cancer Innovation Foundation (BCIF), which raises funds to support breast cancer research. For information, go to www.BreastCancerInnovation.com.
Small bites
• The Acme Fresh Market at 3875 Massillon Road in the Heritage Crossing complex in Green will feature fifth-generation Napa Valley winemaker Joe Wagner at a dinner at 6 p.m. Thursday. Cost is $50. Tickets are available at the store’s customer service counter.
• Chef Louis Prpich, owner of the Chowder House Cafe at 2028 Chestnut Blvd. in Cuyahoga Falls, will host his eighth annual clambake from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Cost is $35. Add a whole lobster for $20 and another dozen clams for $12. Reservations only. Call 330-794-7102.
• Cara Mangini, author of The Vegetable Butcher, will discuss tips to grow, shop, cook and eat seasonally at 7 p.m. Sept. 30 at Spice Acres, a Countryside Initiative farm at 9570 Riverview Road in Brecksville.
Tickets are $20, or $50 with a meet-and-greet at 6 p.m. To register, go to www.cvcountryside.org and look under “Events & Workshops.” For information, call Countryside at 330-657-2542.
Send local food news to Katie Byard at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com. You can follow her @KatieByardABJ on Twitter or on Facebook at www.facebook.com and read the Akron Dish blog at www.ohio.com/food.