Apple cider season is here

While the weather here has been suggesting that summer doesn’t want to let go, it finally relented this week with chilly evenings and crisp, sunny days. That means it is time to hit up the local orchards in search of tasty apples. I am fortunate to live in an area where many of the best-loved varieties in the US were developed, including Honeycrisp and SweeTango, both part of the University of Minnesota apple breeding program that started in 1920. There are two new hybrids on the way that I’m excited to try as soon as I spy them: Triumph and Kudos. Speaking of spying, I am also tickled that for the first time, the Prairie Spy apple tree (also developed by the U of M) that I planted in 2018 finally bore fruit. And by fruit, I mean singular, as in one solitary apple. I’m hopeful that next year will be much better.

But I digress. Traveling to apple orchards not only means sampling new apples, it also means enjoying a cup of fresh, sweet-tart apple cider. However, you need to be mindful about consuming fresh cider at an orchard, as it is not required to be pasteurized. While orchards usually refrigerate their freshly-pressed cider, that won’t kill any harmful bacteria that found its way into the juice in the pressing process. Bacteria like E. coli and salmonella, and parasites like Cryptosporidium can cause serious illness and even death; the elderly, children, and immuno-compromised people are the most at risk. I will probably indulge anyway, but it is good to acknowledge the risk.

One surefire way to know that you aren’t being exposed to nasty bacteria is to enjoy mulled apple cider, perhaps even spiked with an adult beverage. There are few things more enjoyable than a mug of hot cider when you are sitting around a campfire on a brisk autumn evening. The EYB Library has plenty of recipes for apple cider-based beverages, both with and without alcohol, including the Hot apple cider with ginger from Martha Stewart Living Magazine shown above. Happy (and safe) sipping!