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October

9, 2007

 

 

 

 

Enjoy

Delicious Apple Cider, Sweet and Hard

by Megan

Phelps

If you happen to be driving out in the country on a beautiful fall

day, and you pass a roadside sign that says “fresh apple cider,” by all

means stop! This is the time of year to enjoy freshly pressed cider, and

some of the best available is from local cider mills.

When it’s in season, you can also find apple cider in the grocery

store. Look for the stuff that’s made locally and hasn’t been heavily

filtered — it will have the best taste. The best ciders also are made

with a blend of apples, some sweet, and some just a bit tart for added

depth of flavor.

If you enjoy apple cider and are over 21, consider seeking out

different kinds of hard cider, too. There’s a long tradition of making

alcoholic ciders both in Europe and in the United States, and the flavors

can be as varied and textured as any wine or beer. That’s because there

are thousands of apple varieties that contribute their unique flavors to

cider, whether hard or sweet.

Feeling thirsty? Here are five fun ideas for exploring cider flavors —

from simple cider sampling, to semi-professional cider making. Enjoy!

1. Sample

Different Ciders. If you have several cider mills in your

area, why not try sweet cider from all of them? They’ll all have

different flavors, and when they’re in season, you should be able to find

them at the grocery store. Much hard cider is very sweet, so seek out

dryer types to get a better idea of the range of flavors.

2. Visit a

Cider Mill. It’s also fun to visit cider mills to see how

sweet cider is made. It’s especially enjoyable if they have presses you

can see working, or “pick your own” orchards where you can pick and eat

apples right from the tree. A good place to find cider mills near you is

the Local Harvest Web site,

although apples are scarce in some parts of the country this year because

of an unusually late spring freeze.

3. Read a Cider

Book. If you’d like to learn more about the history and

complexities of cider, two excellent books on the subject are Cider, Hard and Sweet,

by Ben Watson, and Cider,

by Annie Proulx. Both are popular enough you can probably find them at

your local library, or look for them online.

4. Brew Your

own Hard Cider. One reason hard cider was the drink of

choice in the United States for so many years was that it was easy to

make and kept well. Here’s how you can make

your own.

5. Press Your

own Apples! If you become really interested in apple cider you

can start from scratch, and make cider just like the early homesteaders.

You can plant rare varieties of apple trees with fruit especially suited

for making cider and then press the apples yourself with a

cider press. You can buy home-scale cider presses, or even build

one yourself. It’s a lot of work, but it also allows you to blend

apples in hundreds of ways. For pure cider creativity, it’s pretty hard

to beat.

Do you have favorite apple varieties for cider? Do you make your own?

Share your thoughts in our comments

section.

 

 

 

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MAKING

THE BEST APPLE CIDER E-BOOK

Sweet

cider is a delicious and refreshing drink, esteemed by centuries of

farm workers for its thirst-quenching powers, a tangy beverage savored

by children and adults.

Even if you've never made cider before, this e-handbook can help you

make a better and more flavorful cider yourself than most commercial

mills. Chapters include:

* Equipment for Cider-Making

* Which Apples Make the Best Cider?

* Steps to Making Cider

* Storing and Preserving Sweet Cider

* Hard Cider

A glass of amber-gold cider has the power to evoke vivid memories of

autumn days and reinforces the sense of thrift and independence that

comes from bringing in the harvest. 34 pages.

Order

now for only $6.95!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Copyright © 2006 All Rights

Reserved | Ogden Publications, Inc., 1503 SW 42nd St., Topeka, Kansas

66609-1265

Reproduction in whole or in part without permission

is prohibited.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MAKING

THE BEST APPLE CIDER E-BOOK

Sweet cider is a delicious and refreshing drink, esteemed by

centuries of farm workers for its thirst-quenching powers, a tangy

beverage savored by children and adults.

Even if you've never made cider before, this e-handbook can help you

make a better and more flavorful cider yourself than most commercial

mills.

Order

now for only $6.95!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.6/1059 - Release 10/9/2007 8:44

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