The Twelve Historical Fruit Recipes of Christmas
Tra la laaaa la la laaaa la, tra la la la la laaaa! It’s Christmas time, and here’s a selection of fruity dishes from the archives for your holiday dinner table.
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Gertrude Mackay’s 1913 Recipe for ‘Sweet Cider Frappe’
Here’s another recipe from Mrs Mackay’s early C20th apple recipe collection, this time for a rather super-sounding cider sorbet.
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John Worlidge, on Growing Pears for Perry
Mr Worlidge outlines the advantages of growing pears rather than apples in wet, heavy soils, and tells us the best C17th sorts to plant for perry.
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“Agricola” on the Moral Philanthropy of Good Cider
I have no idea who this “Agricola” fellow might have been, but by Jove, I do like the sound of his pro-cider rhetoric.
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J. Williams’s 1767 Recipe for ‘Summer Cyder’
This eighteenth century recipe for a quick, lightly fortified, summery cyder drink sounds like an interesting way to use up an early apple glut.
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M. Chomel (and Richard Bradley) on ‘Boiling of Cyder’
Why on earth would you want to boil cyder? Here’s a suggestion from the C18th, courtesy of Messrs. Chomel and Bradley.
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M. Chomel (and Richard Bradley) on ‘Mixtures With Cyder’
Here are a few C18th suggestions as to added flavours that you might – or might not – like to add to your cyder.
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The Museum of Cider, a Highlight of Hereford
The Museum of Cider offers a rather fascinating visitor experience that any apple, orchard or cider fans will thoroughly enjoy.
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John Phin, on Avoiding (not Making) ‘Cider Without Apples’
Cider Without Apples? An obvious fraud. You definitely shouldn’t try this C19th recipe. Seriously. Don’t do it.
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Orchard Visit: Prospect Orchard, Llanidloes, Powys
A summer afternoon in June was the perfect time to visit the home of Welsh Mountain Cider.
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Gervase Markham’s 1615 Recipe for Preserving Quinces in Cider
Here’s an idea for preserving your quince harvest, and maybe making quince flavoured cider at the same time.
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Barry Masterson talks Perry, Pomonas and Pomology
My twitter-buddy Barry’s article on the history of Pomonas and their origins in cider and perry production is well worth a read.
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Ads of Yore: Big Profits in the Cider Business
And what do those big profits require? A big investment in a big juice pressing machine…
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Darlene Hayes is Speaking of Cider Apples
A rather interesting new series on cider apple varieties has just started on the ‘Turn Them All Into Cider’ blog.
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John Evelyn, on the Use of Wildings for Cider
Sowing apple pips to grow wilding trees? “Facile,” says Mr Evelyn. “Hold my cider”, says Mr Brennan.
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Samuel Colepress, on a Rare and Commendable Liquor
This sounds like a tasty twist on a traditional cider.
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Book Notes: Apple, by Marcia Reiss
A review of Marcia Reiss’ social history of the apple, as told from a US-based perspective.
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Book Notes: The Apple Orchard, by Pete Brown
A review of Pete Brown’s new book on the social history and vital importance for the future of English orchards.
