SC - cider apples

[Yeldham, Caroline S]

	Dear All

> Caroline commented:
> 
> >Another factor is that true cider is made from cider apples,
> >which are much more bitter than eating apples, modern apple juice is
> made
> >from eating apples.
> 
> Oh! I hadn't realized this, but it makes sense. Unfortunately, I
> imagine
> most apples that I find in the grocery or the juice I find there is
> likely to be made from these eating apples.
> 
	I should think so.

> Anyone have any idea what the names of these cider apples? Or if the
> juice is available somewhere? Maybe a dried mix or concentrate for 
> cider makers?
> 
	I havne't researched this area, and I don't claim to be an
expert.  Certainly since the 70s lots of cider orchards have been
grubbed up, and the commercial makers switched to cheaper ordinary
apples, but I think there has been a revival, along with real ale.
There are lots of varieties of cider apples, at least there used to be!
There is a place that 'stores' all the old apple varieties it can, but I
don't have details; I would suggest contacting someone like Kew Gardens
(which has a seed library) or the Royal Horticultural Society.  The
Henry Doubleday Research Society (?) might be able to help too.
	.  
> Did they make a distinction in period between sweet and cider apples?
> 
	In period?  Don't know (I haven't really researched alcohol -
left that to my husband who tends to stick to ale).  they certainly had
lots of different types of apples, all with different qualities,
including keeping and cooking qualities (there's a recipe I want to try,
which needs a cooking apple which doesn't fall, but since all I can get
are Bramley's, I'll have to wait!).  Cider would probably have been
geographically limited, as it is today (true cider anyway) to the
English West Country and to Normandy and Brittany in France (any other
areas? - don't know of them).  Could it have been a question of which
type of apple trees thrived down there?

	Caroline 
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