September - The Season of Apples and Cider

 While the weather is still mildly warm, it is getting noticeably cooler, especially in the night. Autumn is almost here! Yes, it is my favorite season. Yet, there's no harm in enjoying the joys of autumn in the month of September before the official equinox. Afterall, it is apple season, currently.

Pumpkin will always hold a special place in my heart, but as apple is an autumn fruit, which is more than welcome to sit upon my table, or perhaps in a glass or mug. Yes, by this, I mean cider.

You could easily get these festive drinks anywhere now, but for me I avoid them like the plague. My reason is simple - they're not organic. Why does this matter?

It has become increasingly common knowledge to understand that apple is one of the most harmful produces in the US due to pesticide. My own mother read a non-fiction book about a girl who grew up on an apple orchard where everyone in her family died of cancer. It is still on the dirty dozen list:

https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php

Therefore, I opt for organic apples. Sadly, finding organic cider proves to be more challenging than the produce itself. So, I had to make my own cider. It is actually quite simple.

Cider simply requires a number of apples (I used six, you can use more), all cut into quarters with stem, skin, and all, to sit boiling in water with whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, and nutmeg. I also like to add the powdered version to give it the extra spice kick. Some people like to add a little orange juice or even a few slices of oranges or orange rinds for a bit more flavor. I personally don't like the taste oranges leave with apple cider, so I don't put those in. You want to boil them as long as you can with the apples fully softened and the water will become that classic cider brown. On low heat, near the end of the cooking, add brown sugar to taste. You might need a half cup or so to round it out. I would let it simmer for a few minutes to let the sugar get thoroughly mixed in before turning the stove off. Now, it is recommended to use a cheese cloth or something to press and strain the apples of their juices into a pitcher. I used a simple tea strainer and a fork. You can enjoy this hot or cold. The important thing to remember is the longer it stews the better it will be.

This is my cider. If you want you can make this more adult worthy with rum or brandy. Share your cider recipes, if they aren't family secrets.