Time Is Ripe For Apple Cider

After a day of raking fall leaves or picking out pumpkins for jack o'lanterns, apple cider is the perfect potable for quenching your thirst.

But questions swirl around apple cider like autumnal leaves in the breeze. What is cider? Why do some ciders contain alcohol while others don't? How long has cider been around?

Most cider comes from fermented apple juice. Natural cider relies on the wild yeast present in the apples to ferment. Some mass-produced ciders will add a yeast culture to help the fermentation process along and to achieve consistency.

Cider, which can be available "sparkling" (carbonated) or "still" (uncarbonated), can also contain alcohol or be nonalcoholic. In Europe, "cider" refers only to fermented apple juice that contains varying levels of alcohol. But here in the United States, fermented apple juice is called "hard cider" while freshly pressed apple juice that has not been allowed to ferment is called "sweet cider" -- or just plain ol' apple juice. Some companies will use the term "cider" to refer to apple juice with no preservatives, and "apple juice "to juice that has been pasteurized.

Cider must be a good thing. Records show that people have been quaffing it since at least 55 BC -- when the Romans arrived in England and found the locals drinking a cider-like liquid.

Early English settlers introduced cider to America by bringing apple seeds specifically to cultivate cider apples. During the colonial period, hard cider was one of America's most popular beverages. A town's prosperity often was judged by the volume of cider it produced. Cider consumption in the United States grew steadily until prohibition.

Like microbrewed beer, cider is seeing a resurgence in interest as more people are discovering artisan foods like cheeses, breads, pastries and other goods. "Foodies" are finding that a crisp, dry cider made in small batches can pair wonderfully with other fine ingredients at the dinner table or even during cocktail hour.

And you don't have to tell kids (of any age) how well sweet (nonalcoholic) cider quenches the thirst after jumping in piles of autumn leaves.

Do you have a recipe for spiced or mulled cider? How about hot chocolate or spiced tea? Share it with Liquid Solutions! Your recipe could be featured in an upcoming column on hot drinks for cold days.