Homemade apple pies at Harvest Festival

The aroma of autumn fills the air with scents of freshly baked apple pies and pork and ribs slow cooking in the smoker and apple fritters sizzling in the deep fryer in the church’s kitchen.

Once again, the United Methodist Church of Monroe (Conn.) will be getting ready for its Harvest Festival fundraiser in October. Twenty-five children, youth and adult volunteers will work in the church kitchen one week ahead of time peeling, coring and chopping about 1,000 locally grown apples to make 200 pies. They will make and freeze the pies ahead of time, baking and selling one-third of the pies the day of the event and selling others frozen for people who prefer to bake at home. The pies are the best sellers at the festival.

“It used to be called ‘Apple Pie Festival’ 40 years ago,” said Rose Aiello, who organizes the event. Aiello said that since then, the menu has expanded to include lunch items such as pulled-pork sandwiches, barbeque ribs, baked beans and potatoes, hot dogs, cole slaw and apple fritters. In 2013, they made fried Oreos.

As people enter the church, they hear a live bluegrass band, and children can engage in activities like face painting, a moon bounce and cupcake decorating. Vendors sell scarves, jewelry, books and handmade items.

“Everyone gets excited for the day,” said Aiello, who is grateful for the fellowship the church volunteers have with one another as they prepare the food.

In 2013, the church raised more than $6,000 for mission projects. The proceeds support mission work in Mozambique, the church’s food pantry, homeless shelters and the United Methodist Committee on Relief.

AT A GLANCE
The United Methodist Church of Monroe
515 Cutlers Farm Road, Monroe, CT 06468
203-268-8395
umc@umcmonroe.org
www.umcmonroe.org
Pastor: Rev. Martha Epstein
Average attendance: 85
New York Conference