A Family Affair: Apple Pie

One of the best apple pies in America is baked at Cover's Apple Ranch in Tuolumne, California, a few miles from Sonora.

It's called the "Mile High Pie" because it has a huge domed crust on top,10 cups of apples inside, a sweet crust on the bottom - and a delicious taste that's a mile higher than any other apple pie we've ever eaten. It's hard not to eat two or three slices.

Cover's Apple Ranch.

It was served to us by Ben Cover, one of the six sons of Cover patriarch Joe and his wife Carol - all, along with their only daughter, are involved in running the family's apple ranch. Running is pretty much what they have to do to keep up with the demands of baking 10,000 pies a year (they once baked 1,400 in 36 hours), operating a pastry shop, gift shop, a children's barnyard/playground with an authentic steam engine train ride (a destination favorite for three generations of tourists) - and an 88-acre ranch.

Ben, who looks startlingly like Paul Newman with a long beard (typical of the Cover's membership in the Church of the Brethren), told us that the ranch has 35 acres of apple trees, most at least 80 years old. The first trees were planted in 1890 - which would make them 114 years old, but Ben only documents the 80 year-olds. Says they grow 150,000 pounds of apples annually, all hand picked by a dozen pickers in a week and a half: winesaps and golden and red delicious ("the real ones, not the common grocery store kind"). The trees, nearly leafless in winter, look their age - but with the promise of a leafed-out glory when their red and gold fruit begin maturing.

In contrast to the aged appearance of the wintertime trees stand two tall modern towers centrally located in the 35 acres. Atop each tower is a streamlined pod housing a motor that drives a huge propeller. When the temperature drops to a dangerous low, the propellers engage and become great wind movers, each rotating to cover their half of the orchard's trees. The motion of the wind is enough to raise the temperature and prevent the disaster of a frozen crop.

It's truly a family operated business run by Joe's seven now-grown children and their spouses to benefit the next generation, currently numbering 23 grandchildren. The Cover adults often gather to plan for the future. As Ben admits, "We get lots of ideas - it's dangerous to get 15 people dreaming together!"

Whatever they dream up, you can be sure the result will be a doozy. Visit them at www.coversappleranch.com.

- Rich Steck & Judi Janofsky