Picture this: The perfect fall day. Sun is shining. Cool breeze blowing. Early afternoon. Leaves falling from the trees outside. Driving in my van to run a couple errands while the Blaine is watching the babies while they sleep. See my good friend Dean out in his front yard making cider again. That delicious, wonderful, homemade cider that I crave all year long. He invites me to come and watch the process. Quickly drive home and as soon as my babies are awake, the four of us head to Dean's house. Hyrum rides his trike over there. The trike he is in love with. We get to Dean's, the magic begins. Take a journey on our cider making tour with us.
Step 1: The apples are soaked in a large old washer full of an apple cider vinegar/water solution.
This guy is seriously so cool!
Step 2: The apples are then placed into what we will affectionately call "The apple-nater" a.k.a. "The Apple Chomper" or "The Apple Dapple" or "The Apple Crusher." Take your pick :)
My dreamy Blaine was loving this!
Afton was enjoying the process from her stroller.
Step 3: After the apples pass through the "Apple Dapple" they land in a net inside a wood barrel.
Step 4: Dean screws on press to barrel and uses muscles to press apples within an inch of their life.
Step 5: Juice then rides down what Hyrum called "The Juice slide" into a large metal bowl.
Step 6: Apple Cider is placed in large cooking apparatus and is pasteurized at 160 degrees.
Step 7: Apple remains are collected from the barrel and are then fed to the turkeys pictured below.
Dean raises turkeys and says feeding them the apple remains makes them sweeter to the taste on Thanksgiving.
Fresh pressed apple cider is one more reason why Fall is the best time of year. Yum!
