NARRATOR: Today on Weekends with Yankee, Richard takes a mid-coast Maine road trip in a camper van to canoe, cook and enjoy the great outdoors.

WIESE: Wow, this is magic.

NARRATOR: Amy visits the orchards at Gould Hill Farm in New Hampshire.

She shares a classic apple crisp recipe and makes cider donuts, and then samples some of the farm's premium hard ciders.

TRAVERSO: You truly cannot lose with apple crisp.

- No, not at all.

TRAVERSO: Like whatever form it takes.

NARRATOR: Back in Maine, Richard cooks up the ultimate lazy man's meal.

WIESE: And I only wish you could smell this, because this smells... NARRATOR: So come along with us for a once-in-a-lifetime journey through New England as you've never experienced it before, a true insider's guide from the editors of Yankee magazine.

Join explorer and adventurer Richard Wiese and Yankee senior food editor Amy Traverso for behind-the-scenes access to the unique attractions that define this region.

It's the ultimate travel guide from the people who know it best.

Weekends with Yankee.

- Major funding provided by: ♪ ♪ - Massachusetts is home to a lot of firsts.

The first public park in America.

The first fried clams.

The first university in America.

The first basketball game.

What's first for you?

♪ ♪ - Grady-White-- crafting offshore sport fishing boats for over 60 years.

- Country Carpenters-- handcrafted barns and homes for over 50 years.

- On an American Cruise Lines journey, you can explore historic New England.

- New Smyrna Beach, Florida-- sandy beaches and laid back adventure.

Relax already.

NARRATOR: The town of Damariscotta is the starting point for Richard's driving adventure through Maine by camper van.

It will take him through fall foliage to a scenic campsite on the Androscoggin River.

WIESE: Good morning.

I'm in Damariscotta, Maine.

I'm just about to head on a road trip, but before I do I'm gonna do what so many people in this area do.

They have a pastry at the Barn Door Cafe.

Come on.

NARRATOR: Lifelong friends Annie Leck and Crystal Berg opened the Barn Door Baking Company on Main Street with their passion for specialty baked goods.

- Good morning.

WIESE: Good morning, you must be Crystal.

- I am.

And you're Richard?

WIESE: I am Richard.

- Nice to see you.

WIESE: Crystal, what's good?

- Ah, everything.

WIESE: I've heard that.

- (laughs) I'm glad.

Our cinnamon buns, fresh this morning, they are top of the line with a brioche dough.

And here's the almond croissant.

WIESE: Ooh, I'm gonna try a little of that.

- There you go, you got enough hands or you want me to walk to the table?

WIESE: I'd say this is a great way to start the morning.

NARRATOR: Another local entrepreneur who's on the road to success is Mike Walden of Walden Campervans.

He and his wife Susie have launched a fleet of fully outfitted campers for every adventure.

WIESE: Hi, Mike.

- Hey, how are you Richard?

WIESE: I have to say I have never camped in a camper van, so I'm so excited about this.

- Yeah, no, we're excited to share some more about Walden Campervans with you today.

WIESE: How did you get into this business?

- We launched it with a mission of bringing people closer to the wonder of the outdoors and each other.

So for us, getting outdoors as a family has always been really important, You know, we're always our happiest whether we're sitting by a lake or a stream or up on a mountain just sharing those moments.

So my wife has done a fantastic job from an aesthetic point of view with all of these vans to really make them feel like just small cabins in the woods.

And they all have a story, each van.

Just a look and aesthetic that's different.

You can either be a first-time camper or you can be a really experienced camper and you can feel like you can get in and go.

WIESE: But the idea of parking right next to a lake or a waterfront and having it right there at your steps is what's appealing to me.

- I'm looking forward to taking you through it outside and showing you around.

WIESE: All right, thanks.

Mmm!

- Yeah.

♪ ♪ - This is our van, Marty.

WIESE: Wow!

This is really nice.

- Yeah!

Up top, we've got our solar panels that are always charging our house batteries throughout the day.

You also have a roof deck up top for stargazing at night or catching the sunrise in the morning, so lots of possibilities up there.

And then inside we can go check out the kitchen galley here.

So really everything you need from a kitchen perspective lives in all these drawers for you here.

NARRATOR: There's an induction cooktop, refrigerator and freezer that holds five days' worth of food, camp chairs, a gel foam bed and even a shower-- all the amenities of home.

- So all you need to do at the end of the day is bring clothes and a bag of groceries and you're good to go.

WIESE: All right, and I understand we're gonna go into Renys.

- Yeah, I think you need to pick up some extra provisions, so let's go and check it out.

NARRATOR: Renys is a local institution, a modern general store that sells everything from clothing to outdoor gear to pantry supplies.

Shopping here is known as a Maine adventure.

In 1949, Robert Reny opened his first store in Damariscotta.

Today, it celebrates 75 years in business with over 17 locations, run by the family's third generation.

WIESE: So this is Renys.

Why is Renys famous?

- Well, we've been around for 75 years, and we've been in all our local communities for almost as long as that before.

We're Mainers, so we know what everyone needs.

WIESE: I mean it looks like you can get a little of everything here.

I'm going on a camper van trip up north.

I need some essential provisions.

- Oh, yes we can do that and they're all from Maine vendors.

WIESE: Okay, great.

- So come on over.

WIESE: It's made by your friends in Maine, it says.

- Yes!

WIESE: I'm gonna be cooking.

- Mm-hmm.

WIESE: What do you recommend?

- I think you should try this ginger teriyaki sauce.

WIESE: I like ginger teriyaki.

- Yes.

WIESE: I need a mug.

- Nothing better than a Renys one for your favorite beverage.

WIESE: Of course, nothing better than Renys.

And I have a little bit of a sweet tooth, so... - Well, our friends in Madison make these fantastic maple candies.

WIESE: Ooh, I'm gonna have to get two of these.

- All right, I've got one more request.

You've got to do a "when you're here at Renys."

WIESE: What's that?

- Got to sing our jingle.

Oh, uh-- Mike!

- ♪ Renys!

♪ - ♪ Renys!

♪ - ♪ A Maine adventure!

♪ ALL: ♪ Renys, a Maine adventure ♪ WIESE: Wow.

- Nice job.

WIESE: I'm terrible-- but thank you!

Okay, you ready to hit the road?

- Let's do it.

I'm ready.

WIESE: Okay.

All right.

- Have a great trip.

WIESE: Thank you!

NARRATOR: Richard will head north to Greene to enjoy peak fall foliage passing through scenic towns to his campsite on the river.

Mike takes him for a quick test drive.

WIESE: Boy, I tell you, driving through Maine, it is just a gorgeous state, especially this time of month.

- Yeah, it really is.

We absolutely love Maine.

It's, it's funny, you know, we'll welcome guests from all over New England, the U.S., really the world and it's without fail every year, our number one destination where our guests want to go to is Maine.

WIESE: There is some truth to that whole idea of the freedom of the road.

- Oh, absolutely.

And especially this time of year when foliage is happening, like, there's really no better way to plan your foliage trip because you have that flexibility, so you're constantly exploring new parts of New England in a really fun way.

The drive you'll be taking later today to Greene, you know, it's about an hour from here, but it's a spectacular drive.

You're going to go through some really pretty country and then once you pull up to the campsite you won't believe it, it just opens up into just this beautiful vista-- I'm excited for you to see it.

WIESE: Okay, Mike, am I ready for the road?

- Richard, I think you're certified and good to go.

WIESE: All right, I'm excited.

- Yeah.

Susie sent this along for you as a campfire meal for tonight WIESE: Oh, nice!

- So you'll be able to cook that up.

WIESE: All right, well I look forward to it.

thank you very much for your instruction.

- Yeah, absolutely it's great to meet you.

♪ ♪ WIESE: One of the things I love about driving through Maine is that when you drive through these coastal towns, they're not cookie cutter.

Each one seems to have their own unique Maine character to it.

NARRATOR: Richard approaches Wiscasset, which has been called one of the prettiest villages in Maine.

It sits along the tidal waters of the Sheepscot River and is famous for its lobster rolls and rich history.

WIESE: The sun is shining, the changing color of the leaves, and you just feel like you could kind of drive forever.

NARRATOR: Richard arrives in Greene, where over 50 years ago, John Schott and his wife bought land on the river with the hope of preserving the scenic wilderness.

They named it Slippery Rock Trails, a place where campers, bikers, and hikers can enjoy the family's 700 acres and all that it has to offer.

- Welcome.

WIESE: I'm Richard.

- I'm John, Richard.

WIESE: Hi, John.

- My daughter, Karin.

WIESE: Hi, Karin.

- Nice to meet you.

- And you're at Slippery Rock Trails in Greene.

WIESE: Slippery Rock Trails, I think this should be called a Slice of Heaven Valley or something.

This is magnificent.

- A lot of our campers have used the word magical.

We have 12 miles of private hiking trails out through the woods.

But a lot of people come here with intentions on doing a lot and they just stay here and relax and, and take it in.

- I grew up just over the hill and it's a beautiful property.

And if you just canoe up the river a little bit, you can go in an inlet and you're in the wilderness, even though you're really, maybe, ten or 15 miles from a major city.

NARRATOR: The Androscoggin River is 178 miles long.

It was known as one of the 20 most polluted rivers in the country.

Today, thanks to the Clean Water Act, the river offers great fishing, swimming, and boating.

- This is the Androscoggin River, so it's more of a lake than a river.

WIESE: The magic of this is that we're just hearing our paddles dipping in the water, huh?

- Yes.

WIESE: The good thing about canoeing is that you don't have to be in particularly great shape and it's just a nice, easy motion.

So what are some of the things you see out here?

- Um, lots of birds-- loons.

WIESE: See any eagles out here?

- We have a nesting pair of bald eagles out on the island.

I guess, mainly, what they don't see is important to us.

We have many conservation projects going on at one time.

Part of the American tree farm system, so we do sustainable forestry.

We have a couple of pollinator plots.

We have quite a few monarch butterflies.

Our goal is to protect the 700 acres and keep it from being developed.

- I think we're lucky that we are able to be on this land at this time and just enjoy the peace and quiet that hopefully you will enjoy.

WIESE: Once you see the beauty of this land, it's something you want to protect forever.

- Yeah.

♪ ♪ Wow, this is magic.

NARRATOR: Richard settles into the evening with dinner, a precooked meal of pasta and veggies that's ready to heat up and enjoy.

Mike and Susie had prepared a mason jar with a pasta tortellini dish.

Mmm, looks good.

I'm just gonna put it in my skillet, which seems to already have heated up.

This looks like it's gonna be wonderful and I can tell you from experience, the best recipe for camping is a good appetite.

Wow, that looks great, huh?

What a great end to the day.

I experienced Maine in a way I've never experienced it before.

People talk about five-star hotels or five-star restaurants.

To me, this is a six-star experience.

To la dolce vita!

The good life.

♪ ♪ TRAVERSO: I'm at Gould Hill Farm in Contoocook, New Hampshire.

This is a family-run orchard where you can come and pick your own apples.

And picking your own apples is an essential ritual of fall in New England.

NARRATOR: New Hampshire is the home to over 1,500 acres of heirloom apple orchards.

Today, the family-owned Gould Hill Farm is part of a New Hampshire tradition which produces an average of one million bushels of apples every year.

TRAVERSO: So, Tim, how long have you had this farm?

- So my wife Amy and I took over the operation in 2009 and then we purchased it in 2010.

TRAVERSO: These trees are quite old, aren't they?

- Yes, some of these trees are dating back to the '70s.

The unfortunate part was they were almost all Macintosh.

TRAVERSO: Okay.

- So our farm manager, Dan, actually grafted all of these that you see into multiuse varieties.

TRAVERSO: And what did you know about apple farming when you got the farm?

- Nothing!

Nothing at all.

TRAVERSO: That is really brave.

(laughter) I actually want to know, is there a correct way to pick an apple when you're at a pick your own apple orchard?

- Well, we try to tell customers that if you grab the apple and lift the bottom up to the sky, it comes right off.

And there's no twisting.

TRAVERSO: Oh, okay, and it doesn't damage the tree.

- And when you're twisting you're actually removing the stem.

TRAVERSO: Uh-huh.

- Which is part of the apple, so it actually would deteriorate quicker.

TRAVERSO: One of the things that really surprised me when I was learning about apples, and that always surprises other people, is that they are not native to North America.

The sweet apples that we love to eat come from a mountain range between China and Kazakhstan.

And as traders would go through these mountains to bring their goods, they would pick up the apples and bring them with them and plant the seeds, but by 1900, the USDA did a survey of the number of apple varieties that were growing in the U.S., and they counted 14,000.

NARRATOR: There are over 120 varieties of apples grown here in addition to nectarines, peaches, and plums.

TRAVERSO: Tim, look at all of these incredible apples that you're growing for us.

- Yeah, we like people to have a good variety and a different selection.

Apples all have their own distinct flavor.

TRAVERSO: They're so different.

So, I mean, let's just talk about size.

So this is?

- A chestnut crabapple, and it was originally planted as a pollinator and then they discovered it was a delicious eating apple and great for cooking, putting in pork roast and things.

It's an amazing apple.

TRAVERSO: Wow.

This apple actually dates back to the 1500s, and it's the apple that's traditionally used in France to make tarte Tatin, which is sort of their most famous version of apple pie.

It's a terrific cooking apple.

Okay, so here's another old American apple.

This one's called Rhode Island Greening.

- We tell people it's a baking type apple.

TRAVERSO: Yeah.

- But people who like that tart flavor do use it as an eating apple.

NARRATOR: Gould Hill Farm also offers gifts, homemade apple pies, and crisps in their onsite bakery and store.

Today, it's an apple crisp bakeoff between two Amys and two versions of an American classic.

TRAVERSO: I love that we're both Amys and we're both making apple crisps.

So now we're going to make apple crisps the way you make it here at Gould Hill Farm, okay.

- Yes, yes.

So it's a little different for me.

TRAVERSO: Okay.

- Because for the last 12 years here, we've been making it in a mass production.

TRAVERSO: Right.

- So we do use more of a traditional crisp topping where it's a little bit clumpier, sweeter.

TRAVERSO: Uh-huh.

- You use Cortlands.

We use Cortlands with a mix of Macintosh.

TRAVERSO: Nice.

- So we put that little bit of sweeter apple in.

TRAVERSO: Right.

- But for our topping, we use flour, brown sugar, white sugar... TRAVERSO: Okay.

- Cinnamon and butter.

So basically what we do is we just fill the pie plate... TRAVERSO: Right.

- ...as full as we can or as many apples.

Then we just cover it.

TRAVERSO: Right.

- And then bake it for 45 minutes.

TRAVERSO: That's great.

- Depending on the apples.

So you want them to break down just a little bit so they're not crunchy when you eat them.

TRAVERSO: Yeah.

Yes.

Well, this looks incredible.

And I have to say, this is absolutely not a competition because I know both of them are going to be delicious.

- Exactly.

TRAVERSO: And I can't wait to taste them side by side.

NARRATOR: The next recipe has been a Traverso family favorite for years.

TRAVERSO: I wrote a book, "The Apple Lover's Cookbook," about apples.

And this recipe that I'm making is in the book, it's called "Grandma Mary's Apple Crisp" because my grandma was named Mary.

This is one of my prized possessions.

- That's awesome.

TRAVERSO: This is the original clip.

This is from 1945.

- My grandmother has the same thing.

TRAVERSO: Really?

- Where she has an old clipping.

TRAVERSO: Yeah.

- And then they put it in that plastic.

TRAVERSO: Yes!

TRAVERSO: So we're going to do ten apples here and these, you were kind enough to point me to your Cortland apples.

- Yes.

TRAVERSO: Which are such a great baking apple for crisps and pies, they have such wonderful flavor.

Really nice, thin slices.

They're very even.

And then I just kind of break them up and put them into the bottom of the pan.

The topping here is, couldn't be simpler.

We've got two cups of flour.

- Mm-hmm.

TRAVERSO: One cup of sugar, a half-teaspoon of kosher salt, and then some baking powder, teaspoon and a half.

This thing takes five minutes to throw together.

It's so quick and easy.

NARRATOR: Amy whisks and pours the eggs into the bowl.

It's the only liquid she uses in the topping.

She adds in the flour, sugar, and other ingredients.

TRAVERSO: It's supposed to look really crumbly, and like, a streusel-type topping.

And then we're gonna drizzle it with some melted butter.

So your whole kitchen is just gonna smell great.

- I can't wait to see it and smell it.

NARRATOR: Amy bakes the crisp for 45 to 55 minutes at 350 degrees.

TRAVERSO: We have the crisp!

I'm so excited about this.

- I am, too.

TRAVERSO: They look, they both look incredible, golden brown, buttery, delicious.

Oh, it's still steaming.

That looks amazing.

You truly cannot lose with apple crisp.

- No, not at all.

TRAVERSO: Like whatever form it takes, it just is gonna make you so happy.

NARRATOR: Gould Hill Farm is also known for its apple cider donuts, made fresh onsite every weekend.

They can serve over 4,000 donuts in a single day.

Roger O'Dell is Amy's father and chief donut maker.

- My daughter's to blame for me doing this.

To her I says, "You know, you really need a donut machine."

And that was the mistake I made.

Because once they bought a donut machine, I ended up making the donuts.

It's more of a cake mix than a regular donut mix.

TRAVERSO: Okay.

Right, right.

- You use five pounds of dough and then a pound of cider and a pound of water.

TRAVERSO: And that's why it's called cider donuts, because they literally have apple cider.

It's really mesmerizing to watch, to watch them coming out.

So we have these very, very pretty donuts.

And now we're going to dust them.

NARRATOR: The final step, a coating of sugar with just a touch of cinnamon, and the donuts are ready.

- So they don't squash each other.

Because they still are soft.

TRAVERSO: Can I see?

Let's look in the bag.

That looks really, really delicious.

It's a little bag of happiness.

NARRATOR: No trip to Gould Hill Farm would be complete without a visit to the cidery.

TRAVERSO: How much cider do you produce, both the fresh stuff and the fermented stuff?

- You know, every year is a little different, but between 20,000 and 25,000 gallons... TRAVERSO: Wow.

- ...depending on, on the season.

We make all our sweet cider and hard cider, gets pressed right here.

So you just have to push the apples through and the juice comes out, it pumps and does everything.

TRAVERSO: Oh, that's great.

NARRATOR: The Contoocook Cider Company partners with Gould Hill to create its premium hard ciders.

Once the fruits are pressed, the apple sugars turn into alcohol and ferment in large storage tanks.

TRAVERSO: How long does it ferment?

- Well anywhere from, you know, it depends, but seven to ten, eleven days.

TRAVERSO: Right.

Oh, okay.

- If not so much, it's over a year.

We have some cider in their aging that's over two years old.

TRAVERSO: Wow.

The number of varieties of cider you make, it's so impressive and they are really delicious ciders.

- Oh, you've tasted them.

TRAVERSO: So, great work, yes.

- Good, good, good, thank you.

NARRATOR: Visitors can sample a flight of ciders with flavors from Wild Blueberry to the Cherry Bomb and Summer Daze.

The Contoocook Cider Company and Gould Hill were named one of the top cideries in New England by Yankee magazine.

TRAVERSO: Let's try it.

Oh, that's really nice.

- It's really crisp.

TRAVERSO: It's crisp and refreshing.

This would be really nice on a hot day.

- The cranberry's an award-winning one that we've won several awards on.

TRAVERSO: Wow.

- The cranberry's made from a bog in Duxbury, Massachusetts.

So we get all our cranberries through them.

TRAVERSO: Mm, you really taste the cranberry.

I mean, it's... it's such a nice, obviously, cranberry apple is a classic combo.

- Right.

So now the winesap is just a little bit sweeter, but you still get a lot of apple flavor.

TRAVERSO: Okay.

- We have a lot of people that come up and they say, "Oh, I just want to try the winesap because I love the winesap apple."

This is the Fireside Maple, made from fireside apples, which is a newer apple variety.

TRAVERSO: Yeah.

- And our maple syrup.

TRAVERSO: That sounds as cozy as possible, Fireside Maple.

I love that.

- Well, for me, that's more of like an after dinner, because it's a little bit sweeter.

TRAVERSO: Yes, you really taste the maple.

- Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, we really promote that tree to glass.

TRAVERSO: Yeah.

- We grow it here.

TRAVERSO: Right.

- And we're able to just put it in a glass and you can taste it.

TRAVERSO: That's so cool.

- Or take some home, like, in your bag with apples.

TRAVERSO: Yeah, that's great.

Well, thank you so much for taking me through this.

- You're welcome.

Cheers!

TRAVERSO: Cheers!

♪ ♪ NARRATOR: Slippery Rock Trails is a perfect setting for Richard to share some tips on making a quick, easy meal on the campfire.

WIESE: One of the most romantic notions of going camping is that idea of a fire.

Well, I'm going to use a technique that you may or may not have seen, and it's called the upside down pyramid or platform fire technique.

I'm going to lay the wood very densely together in one direction.

And then I'm going to make it perpendicular.

And then I'm going to actually put the tinder on top.

What you're going to find is that this type of fire will actually burn longer and with less smoke.

So there's virtually no meal that you can't make in the great outdoors, and you just want to make a meal that you know is going to turn out well.

We're going to call it the lazy Richard camp food.

You're going to start with some ground beef, and the ground beef is great because it's going to give you that fat that's going to cook in some of the flavors.

And I'm going to show you just how easy it is to create this.

I'm just gonna dice this potato.

And, you know, with potatoes generally, I find that the smaller the pieces, the cubes, the better it is for cooking.

Take a little onion.

Try not to cry about it.

I'm going to put it in my ground beef.

I'm going to take a little salt and pepper.

And earlier I had gotten some ginger teriyaki sauce.

I'm going to add some additional flavors that I like.

And then you're going to neatly, or not so neatly, wrap it up.

I'm going to put this out on a grill, 25 to 35 minutes.

It's going to be great.

All right, moment of truth.

How does it look?

Well, I know it looks a little charred from the outside, but wow, this is looking pretty good.

And I only wish you could smell this, because this smells... NARRATOR: For exclusive videos, recipes, travel ideas, tips from the editors and access to the Weekends with Yankee digital magazine, go to weekendswithyankee.com, and follow us on social media, @yankeemagazine.

Yankee magazine, the inspiration for the television series, provides recipes, feature articles, and the best of New England from the people who know it best.

One year for $20.

Call 1-800-221-8154. Credit cards accepted.

- Major funding provided by: ♪ ♪ - Massachusetts is home to a lot of firsts.

The first public park in America.

The first fried clams.

The first university in America.

The first basketball game.

What's first for you?

♪ ♪ - Grady-White-- crafting offshore sport fishing boats for over 60 years.

- Country Carpenters-- handcrafted barns and homes for over 50 years.

- On an American Cruise Lines journey, you can explore historic New England.

- New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

17 miles of beach.

Relax already.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪