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Monday, September 20, 2010

Cider Making 101

First, start the day with a good country breakfast on the porch: fresh eggs, homemade biscuits, bacon, honey butter, fresh peach jam made by my sister Theresa, apple cider and hot coffee. Hannah helped get everything ready.


Then get the apples. Amy and Larry head up into the tree to shake apples down.
Next pick up the apples, wash them in a big washtub,

and grind and squish.

Let the pets help--from a distance.

grind and squish some more, strain the resulting juice into jugs, tape the lids tightly shut, and freeze.

Then get more apples...
hang out in the tree for pictures,

 and if you're Haley, go all the way to the top!



Then grind and squish some more, until all 15 jugs are filled, everyone is sticky and full of good cold cider.

Last, get out the grill and the chicken and put Derek to work. Make potatoes in mushroom-herb sauce, a big tossed salad, garlic bread with cheese spread, sit down on the porch and the deck, and eat.

That's how we make cider at our house, and I sure wish you could have been there with us.

You can see photos and stories from the last time we made cider here.

12 comments:

  1. Looks great. I inherited my grandfather's (huge!) antique cider press last summer. I've finally got it cleaned up and back in working order. We're hoping to have our first cider pressing party in a few weeks. Unfortunately, our trees aren't old enough for a full crop, so we'll be headed out to the orchards for a few bushels of utility apples.

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  2. That looked like an awesome day from the breakfast to all that wonderful cider! Looks like the kids had a great time too.

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  3. oh man, next year, I want to be there! and do you mean to say that Larry still climbs the tree?

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  4. I love your style press...gosh, I love the smells of making cider. It's hard to beat!

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  5. Jim, how lucky you are! We used to use an antique press owned by a neighbor, and it worked so well. We looked and looked for one like it that we could afford, but finally settled on this one and I have to say it does a great job. It's certainly paid for itself.

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  6. We had fun, mamabug. Some years it turns into work just because of the volume of apples, but this year there was only my tree and the day was pretty laid back.

    And Nance, yes, he still climbs trees! He loves getting up there to shake down the apples. You be sure to come next year!

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  7. I bet you could build one, Warren. It's not very complicated at all.

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  8. YUM! This looks like a lot of family fun!! I haven't had fresh cider in years from Orchards in Mexico, NY.

    Now I'm wanting some - thanx for the adventure!

    themac

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  9. Siggghhhhhhh.... I love you Aunt Susie. I wish I coulda been there.

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  10. mac, there is just nothing like it.

    Emily, wish you could have come too :) It was a fun weekend.

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  11. Glad you had so many there to help. It's work but fun work when everyone pitches in.

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  12. True, Jessica. My job was basically fixing food and entertaining a couple of neighbors who stopped by.

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