Rabu, 15 Oktober 2014

I'll Drink To That - How Hard Cider Is Helping to Save Apple Orchards

Very local apples by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2011

A few years ago, the good folks at Glynwood noticed that New York State's apple orchards had declined by a shocking 25% in just five years. Unacceptable! They stepped in to help keep a time-honored way of life and thousands of acres of prime agricultural acreage alive.

View of Stoneridge Orchard

Their solution was inspired - by helping to boost the popularity of hard cider, a dry, sophisticated drink that bears little resemblance to the sweet, fizzy six-pack ciders you can get in a grocery store - they hoped to create a sustainable market for New York's apples. And so far, it's working remarkably well!

I wrote more about it recently for Civil Eats - you can read the short piece here.

And this seems like a good time to mention the fact that hard cider is the perfect drink for a Thanksgiving feast. Apples are a natural pairing for every single dish on that groaning table...

Visit the Cider Week site to find out if there are events and tastings taking place in your area this month and next. If you're lucky enough to live here in NY's Hudson Valley, check out Cider Week Hudson Valley.

Hard ciders at a tasting

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