By The Menu Mom
Includes a FREE eBook – Staying Sane During Holiday Shopping!
Want a true drink that reminds you of fall? How about learning how to make homemade apple cider? The clean crisp taste of apples can be bottled and you can do it easily at home. Apple cider is a refreshing drink that is mostly drunk in the fall of the year.
There are several different types of cider that you can have a taste of:
Unpasteurized – Sold at apple orchards and roadside stands fresh from the press
Hard cider – This apple cider is allowed to ferment. Yeast is added to finish the process
Hot cider – Boiled apple cider that has spices added to it for a better taste. Boiling makes it pasteurized
Sparkling cider – Apple cider and carbonated water
Making Cider
Here are a few tips when making your own cider. The equipment you need is probably already around your home. Gather a sharp knife, cheesecloth, a large bowl, a blender and at least four dozen apples.
Choose your apples – Which apples you choose will depend on the taste that you want. For a sweeter taste to your cider try Red Delicious, Jonagold and Fuji apples. Combining tarter apples like Granny Smith and McIntosh along with Golden Delicious will deepen your flavors. Choose apples that are ripe without blemish, soft spots or any other damage. My personal favorite is Honeycrisp.
Use them right away – If you have an apple tree, pick the apples when you are ready to make the cider. Also, visit your local farmer’s market for fresh picked specimens of the varieties you like.
Prepare your apples – Wash them well. Use a corer tool to remove the center of the apple and making slicing easier. Cut the apple into slices.
Blend them – Place the apple slices, with skin, into the blender. Chop up until the pieces are small but bigger than the openings in the cheesecloth. If you grind it up too fine then you will end up with sediment in the bottom of your cider.
Strain your apples – After you have blended all of your apples, place a piece of cheesecloth across a large bowl. Strain your apple mixture. If you have one, use a cider press, but it is not required. You may need to squeeze a bit more to get all of the juice out of the pieces. Pour into jugs.
Pasteurize your cider – You can drink your cider as is. To slow the fermentation process you can put your bottled cider in the refrigerator. Even better is pasteurizing it. Boil the cider to about 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Cool and refrigerate.
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These would taste great anytime during the fall season. However, the holiday season is just around the corner. Do you seem to stress out during your holiday shopping and preparation?
I have awesome news….This resource below is a FREE one…Staying Sane During Holiday Shopping! Grab yours today and plan on a stress-free and enjoyable holiday season with the free eBook below!
Happy Holidays To You! 🙂
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