 |
| Tardis - like, Frank's looks small on the outside but is surprisingly spacious and light inside |
Who knew? June 3, was World Cider Day, so I am seasonally
appropriate, if not exactly spot on with the date. I have been doing a bit more
cider appreciating – this time at Frank’s Cider House and Café
at Franklin in the Huon
Valley. The more I visit these
establishments, the more I am conscious not only of distinctive differences in the
flavour of the various ciders, but also of the differences in the style and character
of the venues. What they have in common though, is an atmosphere of casual conviviality.
 |
| Warm and cosy too |
Frank’s Cider House is no different. Superficially, it’s a modest affair, in
the former St. John’s Church Hall (circa 1870), tucked into the side of a valley and
surrounded by apple orchards. If you are
coming from Hobart, it’s just after Huonville and the first flush of apple stands.
A friendly goat – it must be the most photographed goat in Tasmania – peers down
from the slope and looks as if it’s smiling in welcome. Inside the building it’s warm, light and cosy
and it also has an apple museum. In this case, it’s about Frank Clarke’s family who
are into their fifth generation of apple
and pear growing in the Huon. Though Frank himself has now passed on to that great apple
orchard in the sky, old family photos around the wall do give us an idea what sort of person he was – upright, war hero, family man etc. and through them, we also get an idea of what life was like in the
Valley.
 |
| Menu sourced from local producers |
 |
| A traditional mechanical apple press |
In those days, Franklin was an important town, with aspirations
of becoming the third largest town in Tasmania as the Huon River which ran by
its front door was the lifeblood of the region. In fact, it is the town with its
quaint cottages and one or two substantial buildings which gives Frank’s much
of its ambience and deserves a little mention in its own right.
 |
| The ladies who make lunch and dispense cider |
It was cool and overcast when I arrived and there weren't
many people about, but to its credit, Frank’s Cider House remains open in
winter and is open every day. The smell of what seems like bacon cooking makes me ravenous, but I'm still trying to stay on my diet, so I enjoyed a mug of warm mulled cider
instead. I didn’t dare ask how many calories that had or if it was gluten free –
there are gluten free offerings on the menu, but it certainly hit the
spot. For their popular Summer Harvest Cider, Frank’s use a sweeter apple –
tree ripened Golden Delicious which has a rich flavour. There are also several fruit varieties, but alas, these are not available in small bottles.
 |
| An apple grader in the museum |
 |
| Not just cider - Frank's also features live entertainment |
In addition to locally sourced food and cider, Frank’s Cider
House also hosts a variety of live entertainment and even has its
own in – house trio, The Belle Miners which, like the cider itself –“ is sweet,
aged and organic” –as they say, and every 4- 6 weeks Frank's
hosts a comedy segment featuring some well – known names. Both fit in well with the folksy, homespun nature of cider.
Sydneysiders can sample Frank’s at the upcoming Taste of Manly, held at the beach between 26 – 27th
of May and it is of course available in bottle shops etc. though the experience
is hardly the same.
-Look forward to telling you about Pagan soon and hoping
that walking the length of Franklin will make up for today’s dietary deviance.
Comments