Hot and fresh: Inside Edwards Apple Orchard's donut-making magic

Maria Sanchez has been coming to Edwards Apple Orchard in Popular Grove for years, mainly for a warm bag of sugary goodness.

"I don't know how they do it, but their apple donuts are always hot and fresh," she said.

After nearly 60 years, Edwards has its donut-making process down to a science — science topped with a magical dusting of cinnamon sugar.

"A lot of places do apple cider donuts, but we try to do them hot right out the machine," said general manager Andy Smith, who represents the third of a four-generation family-run business. "That's what sets us apart."

And a top-secret mix of flours and heavily monitored ingredient temperatures that result in the perfect fall treat.

And, of course, Mary, the kitchen manager and Smith's mother, who brings decades of knowledge to the job.

And don't forget Fred, Ethel and Lucy — Edwards' donut-making machines.

When all three machines are operating at the same time, a dozen donuts can be made every six seconds.

"On the weekends, all three will be running nonstop just to keep up with the demand," Smith said.

More: Fall favorites: A guide to Rockford area pumpkin patches, apple orchards

The kitchen is typically staffed by 12 to 15 people, each assigned a specific task, but none more important than Victor Ventura's job.

Ventura uses a commercial mixer to make the dough.

"This is one of the most important parts because the mixing times and the temperature of our water and the temperature of our cider has to be precise to get that consistent product," Smith said. "Even slight variations in time or temperature can have a drastic effect on the donuts."

Once the dough is ready, it's placed inside a hopper in the donut-making machine where it's formed into donuts and then dropped into the fryer.

Once fried, the donuts are retrieved and placed on a conveyor belt, hand-tossed with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon and served hot out the kitchen window.

The entire process takes about five minutes.

These days, Edwards donut kitchen runs like clockwork, Mary Smith said, and much of it is because of the orchard's employees.

"We're just so pleased that we have employees come back year after year," she said. "I also think it's kind of unique that my siblings and I work together, and our children have come back, too."

Ventura it just one example of those employees. He's been working at the orchard since he was 15. He graduated in December from Illinois State University and plans to go back in January to get his master's degree.

Every year, he comes back to the orchard to work.

"They keep asking me to come back," he said. "My first year, I met Mary and Barb (Hall), and each day it's just bright smiles."

Edwards Apple Orchard, founded in 1964 by Smith's grandfather, Bob Edwards, has grown into 100 acres of apple trees, pumpkins, squash, mums, and berries. The orchard has 50,000 apple trees and more than 30 apple varieties.

Edwards purchased his parent's dairy farm with the idea of turning it into an apple orchard.

"People thought he was crazy to plow up this fertile corn and soybean ground to plant apple trees but 59 years later, I think grandpa's dream has really come to fruition with all his kids and grandkids working here," Mary Smith said. "It's been really, really rewarding."

Chris Green: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Hot and fresh: Inside Edwards Apple Orchard's donut-making magic