It’s not just for drinking (well, mostly it is!)
It’s true, believe me! There are actually ciders that are no longer just the sugary, soda poppy substitute for non-beer drinkers. Indeed, there are lots of dry, complex, thoughtful ciders being produced that have earned a place at the table alongside the best wines.
Because dry ciders (like ours) drink like wine or sparkling wine, it should come as no surprise that cider is great to use when cooking! As a general rule of thumb, anytime a recipe calls for white wine, use a good dry cider instead. This is also a great way to use a cider that sat just a wee bit too long in the fridge and has gone flat or otherwise lost its spunk!
Cider is also a natural for use in cocktails. A recent customer of ours came up with a great one, which he calls “The Honesto Vaquero” Thanks, Dan!
The Honesto Vaquero
Ice
1 shot of tequila
1 shot of Captain Morgan Lime Bite
Top with Courthouse Creek “Honest Farmer”
Serve in a highball glass.
Here are a few for these last little bits of the heat of summer:
Granita/Quick “Icey”
1 cup dry cider
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
Whipped cream for topping
In a bowl, combine cider, water, and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour the mixture into a shallow baking dish and put it into the freezer until partially frozen. Use a fork to shave the mixture, and then put it back in the freezer until completely frozen. Take out, shave the granite again. Serve topped with a little whipped cream! If you want to create different flavors, add some orange zest, or puree some other fruit and add it to the mix. Just adjust the amount of water to account for any added liquid.
Watermelon Splash
Watermelon juice
Vodka
Courthouse Creek “Blackberry Lavender”
Basil (optional)
Blend fresh watermelon in a blender on high for a minute or so until it is a smooth juice. Pour into a glass, around ⅓-½ full depending on the size. Add a shot or two of vodka and a generous splash of cider. Shake with ice to cool, strain into a fresh glass. Add a square of watermelon and a basil leaf for a beautiful presentation!
Clams steamed with cider: http://dine-dash.com/en/cider-clams. Enjoy with Honest Farmer, or Amuse-Bouche (if you can get your hands on some!)
And, as fall will be upon us sooner than later, this cider baked pork with apple and fennel sounds amazing, and our Blackberry Lavender or Black Twig ciders would pair nicely with it:
http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/cider-baked-pork-with-apple-and-fennel/