This weekend it was time---time to make pear cider. We have no apples this year due to a late freeze, but the pears are abundant. I canned some, have about 3 bushels in the cellar, gave some away and the tree is still full. Pear cider doesn't have the spiciness fullness of apple cider but it's still a tasty drink and well worth making. Most years we make a few gallons of pear and apple combined and we like it too.
Larry got the equipment set up while I rounded up jars and got things ready in the house. Tillie was excited by all the hubbub and helped by being completely underfoot the entire time.
She managed to tip the basket a few times before we were through, got under my feet, and generally had a wonderful time.
We finished up with about 8 gallons of cider before we had to stop and move on to other things. We'll make more before it's over though; I just hate to see the pears go to waste.
This year I brought the cider inside, heated it to boiling, poured it into canning jars and then processed it in the water bath canner for 10 minutes. We decided last year that we prefer the canned cider--so much easier to use that way. No added sugar, no added anything--just juiced pears. That's the best part of cider--100% natural.
I've never had pear cider before but it sounds deilcious.
ReplyDeleteWish I could taste some of it!
ReplyDeleteIt's right tasty, Rowan! Not as spicy as apple cider, but it's a good flavor all the same.
ReplyDeleteJessica, have you ever made pear butter? I hope I have time to try that too.
Sounds good. We had wonderful apples this year in Canaan. First time in 3 or 4 yrs they didn't freeze. Made one batch of cider so far this year and it's all gone. When you can your apple cider do you do it the same as the pears?
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