Apple cider - what is it? Is he harmful? Is cider a strong drink? There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about this product, but understanding them is not very difficult.
What is cider?
Cider is a low alcohol apple, less often pear, drink. Its strength is about 5-7 degrees. For cider, special sorts of apples are grown - sweet and sour, which contains a small amount of sugar. Today, more than 45 varieties of apples are suitable for making cider. The most famous and favorite of them: Black Kingston, Fox Cub, Yarlington Mill and many others.
The production of this drink is based on the fermentation process of apple juice without the addition of yeast. Based on the varieties of fruit, cider is divided into sweet, semi-sweet, dry, semi-dry and traditional. The drink has a golden or greenish color. It is characterized by an apple smell.
From the history of cider
It is still not known exactly which country gave this apple drink to all of humanity. The French, Italians and Spaniards are sure that cider is their national product. There are a huge number of legends and myths telling about getting an apple drink.
For example, many associate it with the name of Charlemagne (VIII-IX centuries), who, according to legend, completely accidentally sat on a bag with overripe and softened apples, which made them crushed. And so the first cider turned out. It is also believed that King Arthur and the explorer James Cook took on board their ships a solution that closely resembles cider as a cure for scurvy.
Most historians still believe that cider is a drink of the inhabitants of Scandinavia. The Celts were sure that he endowed man with beauty and health and was delivered from the lands of eternal youth. People so believed in the healing properties of this drink that they not only drank, but also washed their body with it. Since the XIV century, in the churches of newborns, they began to baptize in an apple drink, believing that it is much healthier and cleaner than water. Respect for cider came in the fourteenth century, at the same time John Wycliffe wrote The Cider Bible.
With the creation of the press (XIII century) and the beginning of the breeding of new types of apples, the production of cider has become more modern. Guillaume d'Ursus introduced new varieties of apple fruits that tasted much more acidic and contained more tannin. Mixing different varieties of apples also allowed us to create new varieties of cider. Thanks to this event, they began to be more attentive to him. In 1855, the personal physician of Charles IX issued a treatise that described the healing properties and characteristics of cider, as well as the methods and technologies for its production.
The first written mention of this drink was noticed in the writings of Pliny. He described how residents in the valleys of the Nile River in the 13th-15th centuries BC They loved to drink the drink obtained by fermenting apples.
But during numerous wars, cider lost its popularity, apple orchards were destroyed . However, in the XVIII century, he again gained his popularity among bohemians.
It is believed that this drink has a subtle philosophy. Sure, cider is alcohol, but if it is properly prepared, it cannot be intoxicated.
Homemade cider recipe
You can prepare your own apple drink in the home kitchen. It is not difficult and accessible to everyone. So, home cider - what is it? How many degrees does it contain? First you need to understand the process of its preparation.
- First of all, you need to finely chop apples of different varieties (or use a combine harvester to turn them into gruel), before cutting the cores and removing the seeds. It is important that the fruit is clean, without rot and blackening. It is recommended not to wash the apples, unless, of course, they are very dirty, since the peel contains bacteria that help fermentation.
- The fermentation vessel must be washed with warm water and dried. Fill the vessel with fruit by one third (you can slightly more). Leave free space in the container to form foam and carbon dioxide.
- For each kilogram of apples, 100-150 grams of sugar is added. The resulting slurry must be thoroughly mixed.
- Then you need to dress the neck of the jar with gauze and leave the container in a dark, dry and warm place for about 3-5 days. The contents need to be stirred from time to time.
- When there is a pungent odor, foam and hiss, you can safely proceed to the next step in preparing cider. Squeeze juice out of the mixture through a sieve or clean gauze and pour into a jar (or other convenient container). Then you need to install a water lock on the vessel . A rubber glove can also be pulled over the neck instead of a water seal.
- The future cider should ferment for 45-70 days in a dark place at a temperature of 18-26 degrees. After the allotted time, sediment will begin to appear on the bottom of the can, and thanks to the glove, the bubbles will remain inside the vessel. The drink will begin to lighten noticeably.
- At this stage, it is necessary to filter the apple drink again, preferably through several layers of gauze.
- The final stage includes pouring cider into jars or bottles, tightly corking or rolling up the lid. Now it remains only to wait. After about 3 months, the cider will ripen and be ready for use.
The result should be a fragrant honey- colored drink . If the cooking technology was correct, then home cider contains about 6-7 degrees. This drink is very easy to drink. It does not cause a hangover. 100 ml of cider contains approximately 115-120 calories.
This cider recipe is relevant in Russia, but the French and British, for example, like to make cider without adding sugar or yeast. The drink turns out to be natural and is perfect for those who love a sour taste.
The benefits of cider
Many people think cider is beer. But as soon as a person tastes a well-prepared apple drink, this opinion will radically change. He will be able to answer the question of cider - what kind of drink.
Since ancient times, as written sources say, people used cider as a medicine for scurvy and gout. Today, doctors also believe that this delicious drink in moderation is very beneficial for humans. It helps to cope with stomach diseases, removes kidney stones, helps lose weight, slows down the aging process, removes toxic substances from the body, which is very useful for digestion and normalization of metabolism and pressure, and increases appetite.
Today, spas also use cider, making bathtubs based on it. And the customers see the result right away: the skin becomes much softer, velvety, softer, completely “young” wrinkles are completely smoothed out. Is it not happiness for women!
Contraindications and harm to cider
Cider is a drink containing alcohol. Its use in large quantities will be harmful to health.
Like all alcoholic beverages, cider is not recommended for expectant mothers, women who breastfeed children, as well as people with hepatitis, pancreatitis, intestinal or stomach ulcers. For such patients, doctors recommend limiting the use of cider or completely abandoning it, since with these diseases this apple drink can lead to poor health. If you are trying it for the first time, be careful. In this case, do not use it in large quantities, as individual intolerance to the components that make up the drink may occur.
How to drink cider
Real gourmets believe that cider, like any alcoholic beverage, has its own technology of proper use, which you need to know in order to try out the whole bouquet and feel the aroma.
Many people call cider a foamy drink, but if you pour it into a glass, there will be no foam, because it melts instantly. To prevent this from happening, you need to pour it according to the rules.
First, you need to raise the bottle with the drink as high as possible above the glass (1 meter is the ideal distance). It is necessary to pour so that the spray of the drink breaks on the walls of the glass. As a result, the cider begins to foam, and it is at this time that you need to have time to drink it before the foam has disappeared. Many are advised to drink the drink in one gulp.
Secondly, in order to feel all the notes of apple taste, experts without fail recommend drinking chilled cider.
Thirdly, it is advised not to finish it until the end, since a small residue remains on the bottom.
How to serve a cider drink
Cider glasses use completely different. For example, in England and Germany, ordinary beer mugs are used for an apple drink . And in France they prefer wine glasses. In Normandy and Brittany, considered the birthplace of cider, ceramic bowls are used for this invigorating drink.
What is better to use as a snack?
True gourmets choose special snacks for each cider variety. For example, for a dry variety fish, hare and poultry meat, and beef are well suited. Traditional cider reveals its taste in combination with cheese, game meat. In Normandy, cider loves to drink a drink with fresh seafood. But one thing is certain for sure: fruits are perfect for cider.
How to choose a quality cider in a store
After reading the label, you can immediately understand whether it is a good cider. A well-prepared apple drink should not contain yeast, flavorings or colorings. In no case should it be sweet and contain extraneous apple flavors uncharacteristic.