Cider is a popular alcoholic beverage in many regions.
Cider is an alcoholic beverage produced from the fermentation of apple juice . The term of our language It comes from the Latin sicĕra , at the same time derived from a Hebrew word.
The cider-making process begins with the harvesting of apples . These fruits are crushed with mills , presses or hammers and then the must is clarified using biochemical or physical techniques. The process continues with fermentation which, thanks to the action of bacteria and yeast, causes the sugar to become alcohol . Finally, after racking , the cider can now be bottled.
Characteristics of cider
It should be noted that natural cider lacks carbonation . The most popular drink , however, is carbonated cider . The alcohol content of cider, on the other hand, is low: it is usually between 3% and 8% depending on the type of cider.
Cider is produced and marketed in countries such as Spain , Germany , Portugal , the United States , Argentina , Chile and Mexico . In certain Spanish regions, there are commercial establishments known as cider houses where you can taste and buy cider.
Apples are used to make cider.
A symbol of Asturias
To talk about cider in Spain is to make obligatory reference to Asturias , which is the autonomous community in which this drink has become a symbol of its gastronomy but also one of its great cultural and tourist ambassadors around the world. Specifically, this land not only produces 45 million liters of cider per year but also produces 80% of the cider in the entire country.
Other singularities that surround cider in this region are the following:
- There are some unique gastronomic festivals that revolve around drinking and are known as espichas .
- Compared to other ciders in the world, the Asturian cider is the only one on the entire planet that is poured ; That is, it is served by throwing it with your arm raised so that, from the bottle, it falls into the glass, breaking the foam when hitting it. In this way it is considered that it achieves excellent oxygenation.
- In addition to the aforementioned espichas, there are many other terms related to that drink in the autonomous community. Thus, for example, we speak of culín to refer to what would be the drink that is taken from it.
- It should not be overlooked that another peculiarity prevailing in this land is that natural cider is drunk in a shared way: it is drunk by friends in the same glass, which has adequate dimensions to be able to pour it correctly.
Cider around the world
In other nations , cider is usually associated with certain festivities. In Argentina , for example, cider is chosen to toast at birthday , Christmas or New Year parties. The usual thing is to choose between cider or champagne depending on each person's taste, although cider is also usually cheaper than champagne.
In the case of Germany , a drink known as apfelwein is produced that is usually associated with cider, although it has some different characteristics .
Homemade recipe without alcohol
It is common for the weight of the market in our lives to make us forget that many of the products we buy in stores can be made perfectly at home, generally investing much less money. This is the case of apple cider, and below we will see a recipe to enjoy it at any time of the year.
The first step is decisive for the rest of the preparation, since it consists of choosing the right apples . It is advisable that they are not too sweet or acidic, since the most appreciated cider offers a balanced flavor . A trick to obtain better results is to mix several types of apples, something that the producers of this drink often do. Needless to say, before finding our favorite option we will have to go through several tests , so this recipe is mastered after many attempts.
As a quick guide, the most common apple varieties are Red Delicious , Jonathan , Yellow Delicious , Granny Smith and Gala , all names that our trusted greengrocers probably know and know how to distinguish based on their characteristics.
Having chosen the apples according to our taste and the degree of sweetness we are looking for, we must take into account that with 5 kilos we can prepare approximately 4 liters of cider. The next step, and the first one that is actually part of the recipe itself, is to wash and clean the apples, making sure to remove the stems and all rusty or bruised parts; A good trick is to leave it as we would eat it. It is important not to peel them, to obtain a better color, a more intense flavor and to preserve the nutrients.
Next, we must cut the apples into quarters and grind them in a food processor or blender, until their consistency is the one used for the compote. It is time to strain the pulp, using a fine mesh or a piece of cloth, depending on availability, squeezing vigorously to extract as much juice as possible. And, done.
It is very important to keep cider well refrigerated, in a properly closed container and for a period of no more than two weeks. If we want to keep it for longer, then it is possible to freeze it.