Author: David Mabey
Year: 1984
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 143
Price used: £0.01 (Amazon)*
*accurate at the time of posting
Description: (TLDR)
Chapters covering all aspects of British cider including a selection of 1980's stockists and makers.
On the back of the book it says:
"Since the Normans invaded England, cider has been a popular British drink -one that rose to equal win a the best tables in the seventeenth century, when there were around 350 varieties of cider apple tree. In the eighteenth century, farmers made their own to use in part payment in kind to farm labourers, who, at hay-making, drank up to two gallons a day.
A few years ago cider seemed condemned to a similar fate as keg beers before the Real Ale Movement, but luckily a revival of interest in traditional ciders has saved many local products and the range of draught cider available from small producers and from large companies is now excellent. GOOD CIDER explains the difference between traditional ciders and fizzy bottled and keg ciders and provides a guide to the character of each variety, giving stars for exceptional flavour.
Distinguished food writer David Mabey has assembled a wealth of information; he traces the history of the drink and the special apples from which it is made - lamenting the loss of such intriguingly named trees as Foxwhelp (some not so lost these days tb) Joeby Crab and the famous Redstreak. He describes the methods of making cider. He describes the methods of making cider, now far removed from the days of pounding apples in troughs made from hollowed out tree trunks, and gives instructions on how to make your own potent brew (you DON'T brew cider !!!. ffs who wrote this ??. tb) from windfalls. Also included are recipes using cider and listing pubs and wine bars recommended for their cider.
