The Apple Factory at Cygnet

Had a chore to do at the family residence in Cradoc this morning. The steady stream of traffic heading towards Ranelagh persuaded me against fighting off the crowds for food at Taste of Huon, so headed instead for the more welcome climes of Cygnet. Now was my chance to check out at least one of those places Gobbler has mentioned.

The first place I came to was The Apple Factory, so that's where I stopped and ate. Most impressive.

The Apple Factory, for those of you who are coming from the Huonville side, is on the right hand side of the road (Channel Hwy) just a hop & step back towards Huonville from Pop's Place (which is on your left).

I'm giving you directions for 2 reasons - firstly, there will probably be a line of traffic behind you while you're looking for the place and trying to drive at the same time. They'll curse you bigtime if you suddenly catch sight of it & veer right, off the road the way you've seen many others do it!

I've also directed you to make sure you DO go there.

It's a great place with all the promise and expectation of country generosity, friendliness and great home-style cooking fulfilled in abundance.

I encountered Michelle at the front counter, who told me all about the history of the place, and showed me round. Then she and her workmate, Kate, took me on a guided tour through the bain. It was filled to brimming with all sorts of delights - egg & bacon pie (chockers with both, and a huge serve), lasagnes etc plus all the sweet goodies. All made there on the premises.

That makes so much difference. I realised how over the whole tried and tested thing I am, when I looked at their array of food laid out there. They didn't have to tell me it was all made on the premises, because it looked like it - and I don't mean that at all in a negative way. I think I've got so used to seeing, for instance, an egg & bacon pie, as the individual pastry-ey pie scenario with a few flecks of bacon and maybe an egg if I'm lucky.

It's extremely convenient for a cafe or restaurant owner, or chef to make up a batch of pies in this way, and serve them accordingly, but it was really refreshing to be able to see into the "guts" of the large family sized pie at The Apple Factory and see exactly what you were going to hit on when you took a mouthful of your pie slice.

I ordered the Hungarian Goulash and rice. It was fantastic. I couldn't eat my whole portion as I'd only breakfasted an hour before but gave it a good try. I also ordered, to take home for dinner tonight, a serving of Meatloaf. I will confess to having had a mouthful or two, just to taste it, when I put it in the fridge earlier. It's bloody delicious.

I will definitely return and I will tell everyone about it as well.

To continue our Rita-scale of numbering out of 10, I think The Apple Factory must be well up there - probably another 9.5, but for varying reasons to the POW.

I'd love to see the Huon Valley become somewhere like the Clare Valley in Sth Aust where people regularly head on the weekends to eat, drink and spend all their spare cash within their own state. It can only be good for our local economy.