Something that seems to add spice to life is celebrating things in their season. For some reason, like many people, I look forward to certain foods and activities in specific seasons of the year. For instance, now that it is falltime I love all things apple. And soon, we will be at the height of apple cider season.
Too many people are satisfied with the sanitized, pasteurized apple ciders of their grocery stores, but that is not real apple cider- just glorified apple juice. Real apple cider has an individuality and richness based upon the apples used and the time and an ephemeral sweetness that needs to be drunk up fresh. Since there are so many factors involved in the outcome I prefer finding a source I can trust to provide the best possible cider. It helps when the store selling it gives samplings to taste, but trying and buying is just as efficient. If the cider is less than stellar quality, no worries! Just use it to baste some roasted poultry or make cider baked apples.
Once upon a time people were far more sophisticated in their tastes for cider than they are now. Certain apples were grown just for their cider-making qualities.
Some people even make their own cider with the cider presses that you can buy. I just watch them at at my local farm market and get gallons of freshly pressed ciders or those they truck in from other areas. I used to freeze some gallons for winter use before my freezer went on the blink! We learned the hard way that you have to open the jug and pour off some before freezing to make room for the expansion. You would think we would’ve thought of that, but, well… we didn’t that first year. I do love to break out a jug of frozen cider in the dead of winter and drink something hot that reminds me of the richness and spice of autumn. There is nothing that says we should only enjoy fruits in season if we can manage to have some treats at other times of the year…. just that in season we enjoy the abundance and height of celebration.
