If there are two foods that epitomize Vermont for me, they are maple syrup and apples. In late winter, conversation frequently turns to "how's the sugaring going?" (at least in my circles of friends and acquaintances!) and come spring, every rural roadside is white with the blossoms of apple trees. That's why I think this small-batch maple cider recipe is the perfect artisanal beverage to capture the taste of our new home. Amber Shehan, writer at Pixie's Pocket, and her publishing team were kind enough to share the excerpt you'll find below from her new book, Artisanal Small-Batch Brewing: Easy Homemade Wines, Beers, Meads, and Ciders. Her book goes beyond traditional … [Read more...]
How to Make Hard Cider in 5 Easy Steps
One of our most beloved Autumn traditions is pressing apple cider. Some we refrigerate to drink in its sweet, raw, unpasteurized form. The rest we ferment into hard apple cider. Today my husband Brian joins me to share how to make hard cider in just a few easy steps. Hard apple cider is just sweet apple cider that has had its sugars naturally fermented into alcohol. It is one most local drinks you can make since you don’t need to buy any imported ingredients like sugar. And, you are hearkening back to our American pioneer roots, when John Chapman (aka Johnny Appleseed) walked the land, starting nurseries on the frontier, selling apple trees to the new settlers so that they could … [Read more...]