29 Sep 2023
Let’s get the project started
Still feeling strong from our C2C cycling adventure, I cycled another 150 km around Bakewell area to display my posters.
Thanks to everyone for kindly sticking my posters on their shop windows or notice boards and friends and family to support us.
9 Oct 2023
Let’s start the collection
Many thanks to all the generous donations so far…small or big nothing going to waste.
All the apples are great but meeting people from the neighborhood that otherwise we would have never met is even more special.
This project would be hopefully a great way to bring the community together.
Love it!
What a wonderful harvest, all shapes and colours (happy to have the ugly imperfect ones too, some taste the best!). Desert, culinary or cider apples we can make something from them.
Apples are by far the most diverse fruit in terms of variety. In the UK alone we have developed over 2,500 varieties of apples (of the 7,000 that exist worldwide).
14 Oct 2023
Washing, milling, pressing,…
Pressing apples in the traditional way on a rack-and-cloth press. Once we form all the layers of apple mash on the rack called the ‘cheeses’, the pressing process begins. A hydraulic piston starts to press down on the top of the layered racks, squeezed out every last drop of the apple’s precious juice.
Wooden straw presses were used from medieval times onwards. The principle is still used in many modern cider presses, though the straw has long since been replaced by wooden or plastic slats and woven synthetic cloths.
Thanks to Joe for letting me use his press.
The pomace
Once pressing is finished the cheeses are stripped down and give the press-cake or ‘pomace’. As zero-waste endeavor, the pomace can be recycled to turn it into compost, spread evenly back in the orchard, or be fed in small doses to livestock.
The juice (100% Apple)
Bottled and gently pasteurised. The fundamental process of juice-making is to preserve the sugar from the fruit without turning it into alcohol and this is done by heat treatment to kill the yeasts.
What can we make with too many cooking apples (and raspberry frozen from my allotment), apple jelly of course (with a hint of elderflower, with raspberry or just as it is).
Just waiting for my customised labels with a french touch…
27 Nov 2023
La vie en APPLE Juice
… inspired by a classic french song ‘La vie en rose’ by Edith Piaf. It is about seeing the beauty of life and feeling being happy and carefree when you are with the person you love. It’s an universal feeling, and may have been even more appreciated when the song was released just after the horrors and sadness of World War II.
Cyser
Cyser is a type of mead that is made with apple juice and honey. Producing our own blossom honey it was apparent to make an attempt in the hope of giving a perfumed finish that can apparently turn brandy like with ageing.
Gooseberry wine
A lot of people have a love/hate relationship with gooseberry. What’s yours? Us we love them! Why? They are superb for jam, fool, cakes and this year we also ventured into gooseberry wine inspired by our cidermaking adventure.