In Praise of Organic Apple Cider
Samuel Smith brewery, of Tadcaster, UK, produces a wide range of outstanding, artisanal beers. I'm particularly partial to their organic lager which I've purchased from time to time for many years. Recently, to my delight, I discovered Sam Smith's organic apple cider after my local grocery began stocking it in the produce section. Initially I bought it to use in cooking a pork roast (the roast on a rack, cooked long and slow, cider in a pan beneath adds moisture and flavor) but, since the cider comes in a 18.7 ounce "Victorian Pint" bottle, there was a short glass left over. The stuff drinks very nicely. Now I'm starting to keep a couple bottles always cold in the fridge. I'm not entirely sure but I think I might prefer this cider to regular beer and the portion size of one bottle seems about right. Highly recommended!
Posted by George Kenney on January 24, 2010 1:40 PM 
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Comments
The south of England has a perfect climate for growing apples and has (or perhaps had) a huge variety of different types. If you like cider, then the UK (Dorset and Somerset mostly — though Kent has better eating apples) is the place to get it from. Normandy also has good cider. Tends to result in an evil hangover though (I grew up in Dorset, so...). There's also commercial cider which is (in my opinion) a completely different drink and pretty revolting.
Thanks to industrial farming most of the apples on sale are tasteless French and American apples, that last better on shelves. Depressingly, most British people think that's what apples are supposed to taste like.
On the other hand some things got better. We now have wonderful cheese again, after years of pretty awful (if admittedly better than American) cheese. Things can be turned around.
[English cheddar, very expensive here, is a much different product than American cheddar, even the fancy kind. The English cheddar is more crumbly, with a much more complex flavor. Wonderful stuff. Also works well grated and then melted with whatever. Thanks for your comment, Cian! g.]
Posted by: Cian | February 3, 2010 3:31 PM