09/04/14 means we are four days into Apple Month!  P.S. Two different friends texted me about Apple Month in the beginning of September and I pretty much died of happiness.  I love it when I can share my thematic fervor with others.

Hopefully you guys are planning on celebrating September with lots of apple goodies as well – don’t you dare order a Pumpkin Spice Latte this month! – so I wanted to share a few of my favorite items.

* Trader Joe’s freeze-dried Fuji Apple Slices are my all-time favorite dried fruit.

They are unsweetened and unsulphured.  The slices are sweet, and closer to chewy than crumbly like some freeze-dried fruit can be.

* Caramel apples are good in theory but messy and impossible in person, caramel apple flavored candies are much better.

I was impressed with the Werther’s last year (along with caramel apple Milky Ways that I don’t think are available any more but recommend buying if you spot them), and the Twizzlers were a pleasant surprise.  The caramel filling has the perfect amount of sweetness and grit.

* All of the Crispin ciders are good, but Honey Crisp is our favorite.

This is the sweetest hard cider I’ve ever tasted.

* Ole Smoky send me a jar of their Apple Pie Moonshine and it has become my new favorite thing for themed drinking.

Adam and I took some sips straight from the jar and were thrilled with it; quite sweet and smooth and the flavor truly is apple pie filling.

I included the recipe for my new September drink below, and I’ve also started dreaming of some kind of apple moonshine shot with something creamy like half & half, in a honey and graham cracker rimmed shot glass, of course.

Apple Pie à la Moonshine, serves 1

• 2 oz Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine
• 1 oz Goldschläger  (any cinnamon vodka would work here as well)
• ginger ale to taste

Pour Ole Smokey and Goldschläger over ice.  Top with ginger ale.  Garnish with an apple slice if you’re fancy.

The Moonshine was provided to me free of charge to review, but all of the other products were purchased with my own money.  I was not provided with further compensation for this post.  All opinions are my own.  I just really like theme months.

What is your favorite item for Apple Month?  Are you going to go for the early release PSL, or wait for October like a sane person?