Homemade Apple Cider

A couple of weekends ago, Matt, Jill, Jarrod, and I put on fall festive flannels and boots, crammed into backseats and front seats, and drove 25 miles south of dear old Kirksville to West Orchards for some crisp, red fun.

When we arrived we realized we were there an hour and a half too late, but thanks to some bees that decided to swarm, the kind and jolly owner was still around.  Fall's version of Santa gave us a quick tour of the various types of apples he grew and where to find them, took our $12, and let us loose upon his orchard.

Though overcast, it was the best weather. After picking Jonagolds, Honey Crisps, Red Delicious (not at all like the store-bought), and little red Libertys, we played a little baseball with the fallen fruit.  We loaded up Matt's car with our harvest and drove north in the perfectly setting sun.

And now I have so many dang apples everywhere, on almost every surface of my kitchen. SO. MANY. APPLES.  One pie later and I still had about 50 apples minus the 4 little guys it took to make that pie.  I was doing my best to eat them raw, but the apple situation was getting to be a real problem.  So I decided to make homemade cider.  And this was a good decision.  I used ten whole apples, which greatly relieved the apple tension around here.  In addition, it was very tasty and a fun peach color.

Here's what I did to make about 6 cups of cider:

Homemade Apple Cider

10 apples, cored and quartered

three cinnamon sticks

water to cover apples

Put apples and cinnamon in a pot. You can definitely add brown sugar, but the apples I used were sweet enough on their own. Cover with water.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 2 hours.  Strain with a fine mesh strainer and cheesecloth if you have it.  I didn't use a cheesecloth.  I just let the apple settle after I used the fine mesh strainer and didn't mix up the cider before using it.

If you want to be just like me when you grow up, you'll make a hot toddy with your homemade cider by adding some bourbon and perhaps a little St. Germain.

Unfortunately I now have a ton of weirdly colored applesauce leftover from cider-making that I don't know what to do with!  Give me all your apple recipes, please!

Strawberry Coconut Sparkler

Finally it's warming up in Missouri!  Let's do everything outside: eat, drink, read, walk, run, bike, attend concerts, and shop at farmers' markets.  I love the sunshine and fresh air activities, but a full day outside can leave me feeling tired and dehydrated.  As I'm sure you've been told by now, coconut water is a great natural hydrator thanks to generous amounts of potassium.  Rehydrating with coconut water gives you a burst of energy without the slump of caffeine or sugar energizers.  Sounds awesome!  Unlucky for me, I don't care for the taste of coconut water.  But lucky for me (and you), I came up with this simple, refreshing electrolyte cocktail so we can both reap coconut water's many benefits enjoyably.  Fresh strawberries naturally sweeten the coconut water with no extra sugar or syrups.  It tastes like a light and clean Crush strawberry soda but leaves you feeling energized and healthy instead of sugar stoned.

Strawberry Coconut Sparkler

handful of fresh or frozen strawberries
plain coconut water
club soda or plain sparkling water

Slice the berries and put them in a mason jar or pitcher with the coconut water and let the strawberries infuse in the coconut water for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.  The longer it sits, the more intense the strawberry flavor.  Fill your glass one-third full of coconut concoction, add ice, and top with club soda.

Stay hydrated, my friends.

Your queue: Netflix recommendations

Have any of you been jonesin' for some heroines?  I've got your fix!  I've been watching some (a lot) of Netflix recently, and I naturally gravitate toward strong female protagonists.  If you have Netflix, or even if you don't (the library I work at has all of these too), you should give these a try.

Lovelace (2013)
This follows the intriguing story of the porn star Linda Lovelace, played by Amanda Seyfried.  It first shows Linda's "success" as a young porn star and then backtracks and tells the more personal, behind-the-scenes story of how Linda was forced into the business.  In the end it is a powerful portrait of a girl trapped in the porn industry by a greedy, loveless husband and how she eventually escapes.

Call the Midwife, Seasons 1 & 2
This amazing British series tells the story of a group of midwives and nuns serving women in London's poor East End in the 1950s.  It is based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth.  The heartwarming show paints a beautiful picture of motherhood and sisterhood.  It shows the wonderful and also the painful, heartbreaking parts of becoming a mother and demonstrates the power of women helping women.  You will fall in love with the strong, compassionate characters and feel so warm and wholesome after each episode.

Miss Representation (2011)
This is a documentary about women's representation in the media and politics and how it influences America's youth and therefore our future.  It has shocking statistics about women in American government.  While the intensity level makes it seem like mere feminist propaganda, almost every point made is indisputably important.  This one affected me the strongest out the three Netflix selections because it is about the plight of women in the here and now, in my own country and my own generation.

Have a movie night! With popcorn! This sriracha butter popcorn is my current nighttime snack obsession.  So salty, spicy, and crunchy.  Maybe have some hot cocoa, too.  Let me know of any other Netflix heroines I should check out!

5 Favorite Fall Sippers

Nothing pairs better with a book on an autumn evening or Sunday afternoon than a mug of something warm, spiced, and sweet.  Today I'm sharing five drinks I reach for when I'm turning pages in the fall.

1. Pumpkin Spice Latte

Of course, you can't have a list of hot fall drinks and exclude the Pumpkin Spice Latte!  I make my own syrup following this recipe and add it to strong coffee and warmed milk or half & half.  I adjust this recipe slightly by substituting the ground ginger for ground allspice and really overdoing it on the pumpkin puree (which isn't possible but amounts to about 1/3 cup).

2. Maple Spice Latte

I had a Maple Spice Latte a few weeks ago at a French cafe in Brookside (Kansas City).  It is reminiscent of a Pumpkin Spice version, but much subtler and more delicate.  Maple and cinnamon just go together so well.  Here's my version of the syrup.

1 cup water

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

2 cinnamon sticks

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine everything in a saucepan, let simmer for 20 minutes, strain in a fine mesh strainer, and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.  Add with warmed milk to strong coffee or espresso.

3. Red Tea Latte

The last latte on the list is a simple Red Tea Latte.  My mom tried one at the cafe in the beautiful Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.  Simply steep a red tea bag (Celestial Seasonings Madagascar Vanilla Red Tea is divine) in boiling water for about twice as long as recommended, warm a little milk or half & half in a saucepan, whisk to create foam, and add to the tea.  You can stir in sugar if you like, but I think it's wonderful without any sweetener at all. Try it with your favorite novel.

4. Spiced Apple Cider

Heat some local apple cider on the stove.  Maybe add a cinnamon stick, maybe a clove or two.  Put the cider in a thermos.  Take it and someone special to a park and marvel at the leaves.

5. Trader Joe's Harvest Blend Herbal Tea

This tea is just The Essence of Autumn, dried out, bagged up, and presented to you in a little golden box with a tea-sipping fox.  If you have the means, I highly recommend picking some up.

Enjoy these drinks and the fall weather!