Apple cider has been a personal favorite since I was just a young boy. The tang and tartness reminds me of biting into a crisp Granny Smith Apple and feeling the acid tingle my tongue like I had just eaten a handful of sour gummy candies. As the summer draws to a close, I see more and more jugs of the delicious liquid on grocery store shelves. It brings me back to my childhood, and is one of the reasons autumn is my favorite season.
While the term cider usually denotes a beverage of an alcoholic nature, traditional American apple cider won’t make you dizzy, but products labeled “hard” cider contain alcohol. It is made by mashing apples to an applesauce consistency, wrapping it in a cloth-like material, and then pressing it slowly with a hydraulic mechanism to extract all the liquid possible.
At this point, the resulting juice is what is sold in stores, but it can then be fermented into hard apple cider and then further into apple cider vinegar. If it is distilled, it produces an apple brandy liquor, commonly known as Calvados. Whether it’s filtered or unfiltered, pasteurized or unpasteurized, apple cider also is a great mixer for fall drinks.
Apple cider. Salted caramel vodka. Apple brandy. Mix them together in in a punch bowl with lots of sliced apples and your fall party is sure to be a hit. The only problem you may run into is not having enough for your guests!
If you aren’t lucky enough to live next to an orchard, making your own cider at home can be a great way to control the processed foods that enter your home. There are many resources on the internet replete with information and equipment for the very task. For those that suffer from acid reflux, such as myself, drinking too much can be hazardous for your esophagus. Thank goodness that there are antacid medications in existence.
APPLE CIDER MARTINI
Ingredients:
Ice cubes as needed
1/2 cup apple cider
1/4 cup Calvados (Apple Brandy)
1/4 cup Scotch
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. pure maple syrup
2 apple slices, cut sides rubbed with lemon juice for garnish
Directions:
Combine all ingredients (with the exception of the apple slices) in cocktail shaker and then strain into martini glasses or prepare ahead of time in a pitcher and pour over ice into tumblers. Serves 2.
GINGER-CIDER ROASTED PORK
Ingredients:
4 bone-in pork loin chops, 1- inch thick
Kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced Pinch cinnamon
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
2 cups apple cider
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
Using the kosher salt, rub a hearty coating onto both sides of the chop. Pour enough oil in the sauté pan to coat the entire bottom. Sear the pork on both sides and on the fat edge, working in batches if the chops don’t all fit in the pan at the same time. If you crowd the pan, the pork may not cook evenly.
Remove the pork from the pan and place on a sheet tray, and from there into the oven for about 10-12 minutes to finish cooking. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Remove any excess oil from the sauté pan. Give a drizzle of fresh olive oil and add the onions and cayenne pepper and season with salt. Cook until the onions become soft and aromatic. Add the apples, cinnamon and ginger and toss to coat with the oil. Continue to cook until the apples become tender and the mixtures starts to caramelize. Deglaze with the cider, using a tool to release any bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the sauté pan. Then, cook until the cider has reduced by two-thirds and the onion-apple mixture is very soft and saucy. Serve by pouring sauce over the pork. Serves 2.
