See Angela's blog Tracing Rainbows for the other Thrifty Thursday posts:

http://angalmond.blogspot.com/


Another post about apples.

My husband is very fond of cider so if we have been given more apples than I want for jams and pickles and stewed apple for the freezer or bottling, then he gets to make some Cottage Cider.  I have to admit that some years it is brilliant and some years it is not quite as good but we've never had a year when it was undrinkable - and it is sooo easy.



Cottage Cider

Ingredients & Method to make one gallon of cider:

Chop up about 8 - 10 lbs of apples - any will do, and it's a good way of using up windfalls.

Discard any really bad bits, but a few brown soft bits don't hurt the finished product.

Put in the peel and cores as well. Chop into a large fermenting bin or similar.

Pour over 1 gallon slightly warm water, and add 2 large handfuls of sultanas, raisins, or other dried fruit. (this is not essential, but helps to give a bit of "body" to it; works equally well with or without the dried fruit).

Set one tablespoon dried yeast (I use ordinary bread yeast) with one tablespoon sugar and warm water in a jug, and leave to froth.

Meanwhile add 1 1/2 - 2lbs sugar to the bucket of apples and water; stir to dissolve.

When the yeast is working, add to the bucket, stir well, cover with tablecloth or large towel and leave for about 10 days or so.

Press down the fruit and stir well every day.

When ready, remove apple and fruit, strain the liquid and put into demi-johns; ferment out like wine, then bottle or barrel.

Ready to drink in about 4 - 6 weeks



I originally got this recipe from the ACL forum: http://www.acountrylife.com/page.php?id=43


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