NICOLE ESTAPHAN HAS MORE.
NICOLE: A WITH THE ESSENTIAL VIEW OF WINTER IN NEW ENGLAND.
PERCHED HIGH ON A HILL IN RICHMOND.
A FEAST FOR THE EYES.
BUT IT PALES IN COMPARISON TO THE FEAST OF SENSES INSIDE.
>> IT IS A TASTY BERKSHIRE EXPERIENCE.
NICOLE: HILLTOP ORCHARDS IS A 200 ACRE FARM MANAGED BY THIS
HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM.
THE FARM FEATURES 27 VARIETIES OF APPLES.
JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE FRAGRANT FLAVORS THAT ABOUND
HERE.
>> WE’RE AN APPLE ORCHARD.
WE ARE A NORDIC CENTER, SO YOU CAN SNOWSHOE.
NICOLE: A SNOWSHOE TREK AMID THE CROOKED BEAUTY OF CENTURY-OLD
APPLE TREES.
WE LEAVE THE SPARKLE OF THE SNOW OUTSIDE IN EXCHANGE FOR THE
CRYSTAL SUGAR OF A SUITE BITW.
THIS -- OF A SWEET BITE.
IT’S THE FIRST OFFICIAL CIDERY IN ALL OF THE BERKSHIRES.
IT STARTS WITH THE ROLE OF APPLES.
>> OUR CONCEPT IS -- WE INSPECT THE APPLES FROM THE
TIME THEY ARE THIS BIG TO THE TIME THEY ARE HARVESTED.
THEY GO TO OUR PRESS, THEY GO TO OUR FERMENTATION TANKS, THEY GET
BEEN PART -- PINPOINT CARBONATED, AND THEY GO TO OUR
CAN.
NICOLE: JOHNNY MASH, ONE OF FOUR FLAVORS OF HARD CIDER, INCLUDING
THE NEWEST ADDITION, COCONUT LIME.
THOUSANDS OF CASES A YEAR SHIPPED FROM THIS FACILITY,
SHARING A TANTALIZING TASTE OF THE REGION.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF APPLES, HEAD SOUTH TO
PITTSFIELD, THE LARGEST CITY IN BERKSHIRE COUTY.
THE BUILDING MAY NOT BE AS PICTURESQUE, BUT INSIDE THIS
FACTORY, THEY ARE REALLY HEATING THINGS UP.
SO THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS?
>> YOU COULD SAY THAT.
THIS IS OUR BOTTLING LINE.
NICOLE: BOTTLING UP MANY PEOPLE LEAVE IS NATURE’S TONIC FOR ANY
AILMENT.
>> FIRE CIDER IS GREAT FOR YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM, IT IS REALLY
GREAT FOR INFLAMMATION.
NICOLE: APPLE CIDER VINEGAR WITH A TWIST.
>> HORSERADISH AND A HABANERO PEPPER IS IN ALL THREE OF OUR
FLAVORS.
NICOLE: OR SHOULD WE SAY, KICK.
A RECIPE INSPIRED BY HER GRANDMOTHER.
>> HER GRANDMOTHER WAS MAKING A FIRE CIDER CONCOCTION FOR HIM
GROWING UP.
NICOLE: HE SHARED IT WITH HIS WIFE AND COFOUNDER, AMY.
WITH THE GOAL OF KEEPING THEM BOTH HEALTHY AND ENERGIZED
THROUGH THE BERKSHIRE WINTERS.
>> SHE ALWAYS STRUGGLED WITH SEASONAL ALLERGIES AND COLDS
DURING THE WINTERTIME.
SHE FOUND A GREAT BENEFIT FROM UTILIZING SO SHE WAS LIKE, WE
NEED TO BOTTLE THIS AND GET IT TO THE PEOPLE.
NICOLE: GET IT TO THE PEOPLE THEY DID.
FROM KITCHEN COOKING IN 2010, TO MAJOR PRODUCTION IN 2021.
THEIR APPLE CIDER VINEGAR IS NOW FOUND ON SHELVES FROM LOCAL
EATERIES, TO ORGANIC MARKETS NATIONWIDE.
INCLUDING GROCERY GIANT WEGMANS.
>> THE BASE PRODUCT IS A POTENTLY INFUSED APPLE CIDER
VINEGAR, WHICH IS REALLY CRITICAL.
THE RAW ELEMENT IS WHERE THE PROBIOTIC CULTURE LIVES.
WE TAKE RAW APPLE CIDER VINEGAR AND STICK IT IN A VAT.
THAT LEAVES US WITH THE INFUSED VINEGAR WHEN WE PRESS IT.
NICOLE: MOST OF THEIR INGREDIENTS ARE LOCAL,
REFLECTING A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH AMONG PITTSFIELD
BUSINESSES.
FIRE CIDER EVEN SHARES THEIR SPACE WITH THREE OTHER
COMPANIES.
>> WE WORK TOGETHER WITH LOCALS TO GET THE MATERIALS THEY NEED
TO DO WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
WE GET PRODUCE THROUGH THEM.
NICOLE: PARTNERSHIPS THAT HELP WRING THEIR HOME TO YOURS.
>> THE ESSENCE OF NEW ENGLAND IS IN EVERY BOTTLE.
NICOLE: UNDER THE BLUR OF FALLING SNOW, BOUSQUET MOUNTAIN.
THIS IS MORE DRIVE-IN AND SKI OUT.
>> FRIENDLY AND ACCESSIBLE.
YOU PARK RIGHT HERE AND IT IS 100 FEET TO GET TO THE SLOPES.
NICOLE: RELATIVELY SMALL IN SIZE, THESE SLOPES ARE BIG ON
HISTORY.
IT IS THE FIFTH OLDEST SKI OPERATION IN THE COUNTRY.
WHEN CLARENCE’S FARM CLOSED DURING THE DEPRESSION, HE
ALLOWED THE SKI CLUB TO CUT A SINGLE SLOPE, OPENING A NEW
EXPERIENCE TO THE PITTSFIELD COMMUNITY IN 1932.
IT WAS AN INSTANT HIT, AND EXPANSION FOLLOWED.
>> WHEN BOUSQUET OPENED IT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ROPE TOW
GRIPPER, WHICH ENABLED PEOPLE TO GET UP THE MOUNTAIN EASIER.
ALSO NIHT SKIING.
BECAUSE OF OUR PROXIMITY TO GENERAL ELECTRIC, IN 1936, THE
MOUNTAIN WAS THE FIRST AREA TO INNOVATE.
NICOLE: NOW HOME TO 25 TRAILS OF FAMILY FUN, SKIING, SNOW TUBING,
AND INTIMATE MEALS WITH FRIENDS.
A MOUNTAIN THAT IS LESS ABOUT THE STATE AND MORE ABOUT THE GO.
>> YOU CAN GO TO WORK, GO TO SCHOOL, GET OUT OF WORK OR
SCHOOL AND HOP OVER HERE AND SKI FOR A FEW HOURS, HAVE A MEAL AND
A DRINK, AND THEN HEAD HOME.
SHAYNA: BOUSQUET MOUNTAIN IS THE HOME MOUNTAIN TO THREE U.S.
OLYMPIANS, AND STILL HOSTS YOUTH RACING TEAMS.
COMING UP, DON’T JUDGE A CAKE BY ITS