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The Apple Cider Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree

How to Make Apple Cider at Home

By Reese MariePublished 3 years ago 4 min read
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Chapter 1: The Harbinger of Fall

There is was on the shelf of the grocery store, packaged humbly in a translucent milk jug. Every year, that simple site excites me. Apple cider is, in my mind, the taste of pure fall, and a sure sign that my favorite season of the year is approaching. It's one of those few items that grocery stores only sell at one time of the year. In other words, apple cider is to fall as eggnog is to winter. And as much as I would love to enjoy that sweet taste all year long, there's something special about the exclusivity. If Christmas lights adorned houses all year long, they would no longer be Christmas lights, and if apple cider graced the shelves of grocery stores all throughout the year, it would lose its role as the harbinger of fall. There's a spark inside me each year the first time I see the apple cider jugs on the shelf.

Chapter 2: It's Like Drinking the Whole Apple

On more than one occasion, I have had to defend apple cider's honor against someone who thought it was a beverage no different than plain old apple juice.

"Apple juice," I explained, "is much more diluted, while apple cider is like drinking the whole apple." (Not to mention, you can buy apple juice any time of the year.) Drinking the whole apple. That was the best way I could think to describe the delicious drink, and it's a description I still stand by. And as I though about it more, I realized, there must be a reason it's only available in the fall. Apple cider must be made from the freshest apples around, the apples that fall from the branches of the trees in Fall, the harvest season.

So this year, after harvesting a bushelful of fresh orchard apples, I though it was finally time for me to try to make my own batch of my beloved Fall drink.

Chapter 3: Trial and Error

I took a few of my fresh orchard apples and stuck them in a crockpot, then covered them with water. Next, what's the other thing that sets apple cider apart from apple juice? Spices. I threw in some cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, then a little bit of brown sugar. And the next step was easy, let it sit simmer for a few hours.

A few hours later, and took a potato masher to the apples. The kitchen smelled delicious, but there was one smell that seemed to be overpowering the rest. A quick taste confirmed, I had gone a little too heavy on the cloves. And maybe, I decided, I had gone too heavy on the water too, because it still tasted rather watery.

The water was an easy fix. I transferred the cider to the stovetop, brought it to a boil, and let it reduce. But all I could do about the cloves was make a note to use less next time.

The next time I put the apples and water in the crockpot again, with one more key ingredient, half of an orange. I would recommend adding the orange for an added tanginess. I was also much more sparing with the spices.

A few hours and one potato mash session later, the apple cider was looking great! I added a few more spices to taste, and strained it into a pitcher. There it was, the homemade harbinger of Fall!

Chapter 4: The Recipe

If you want to try it out yourself, here's the final recipe! Play around with it and find the spices and combos you like the best.

10-15 whole apples

1/2 orange

About 7 cups of water

Cinnamon to taste

Cloves to taste (use sparingly)

Nutmeg to taste

Brown sugar to taste (optional)

Step 1: Place apples, orange, water, and spices in a crockpot. Cook on medium for three hours.

Step 2: Use a potato masher or a large spoon to break the apples apart.

Step 3: Cook on medium for another hour. Then scoop out a small amount of the cider and let it cool so you can taste it. Feel free to add more spices to taste.

Step 4: Strain to separate the liquid from the solids.

Step 5: Taste again, feel free to add a little bit of brown sugar.

Chapter 5: Conclusion

There are no rules with this apples cider recipe, make it however you like! You can enjoy it hot or cold. It's the perfect drink for a cozy evening, as the leaves fall from the trees, and you enjoy the taste of pure fall.

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About the Creator

Reese Marie

"That the powerful play goes on and that you may contribute a verse"

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