Jumbo Apple Corer/Slicer

Spiced Apple Cider from Scratch

Apple cider can be a potentially time consuming process, as extracting juices from the apples is markedly more difficult than extracting juices from citrus fruits. Furthermore, 1 gallon of apple cider can take up to 40 apples to make, which means that a substantial budget needs to be put aside for the purchasing of apples. All of this aside, making apple cider from scratch can be a highly rewarding experience for true cider lovers. From scratch, it is definitely preservative free, and no health benefits from the apples are potentially lost.

Of course, the first step in making apple cider is choosing the apples; better ciders are usually made up of several different types of apples, not just one type. Personally, I prefer a tangy cider, which means that I use one third Macintosh apples and one third Granny Smith apples (both of which are tart apples). For the last third, I use a sweeter apple (usually golden or red delicious).

Once the apples are chosen, they must be washed and cored, either by hand or with an apple corer. From here, they can be squeezed in a cider press, or ground into a fine pulp, technically referred to as pommage or pomace. Given the lack of available cider presses in modern society, many will likely opt for the latter. The grinding process can be performed in a food processor or blender –anything capable of pureeing the apples into a pulpy, saucy consistency.

Once the apples are ground, the cider must be extracted from the pommage. This can be done by placing the apples in a pillow case, cheesecloth, or any other closely knit cloth sack. Simply squeeze the sack or cheesecloth over a container until as much juice as possible has been strained out of the pommage. Preferably, the container will be oven safe, as the cider needs to be boiled. If not, transfer the aplle cider into a pot.

Place seven cinammon sticks, twenty cloves, half a cup of brown sugar, and the juice of two oranges into the pot with the cider; heat until the mixture boils. Heating will not only allow the spices to permeate the cider, but will also pasteurize it. This means that it will not only be delicious, but bacterial free as well.

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