Drenched in Cidre, Part 3

Photo courtesy of Jessica Fisher

This is the press in action. Oh it is cool. So long ago, I had a cider press on my wish list. Now, dream is reality and the product is amazing cider juice. We pressed all day, learning as we went. 

As promised the two pictures of Chad and I together in the same frame. I can count on my hands how many pictures we have of us together, since I am usually behind the camera! Thank you Jessica for this gift!

Photo courtesy of Jessica Fisher

 

 

Photo courtesy of Jessica Fisher

We invited friends down, a bring your own apples type of party. Oh and party it was! The kids played and played and went fishing. We ate chili and drank sweet tea and eventually cider. We gave tours of the farm. It was fun.

So the technical notes on the project are as follows.....The cloth bag that the press came with got trashed in the washing machine. I destroy everything in my washer- from cloth diapers to bath towels. This was no exception. So, I bought a nylon net laundry bag and it happened to fit perfectly. Just enough slack to get good movement.

Note that there is a giant clamp on the top holding the grinder on. Do not grind whole apples. Do not let me work the crank. The two together equal broken destruction show. I guess I have a lot of upper body strength that isn't immediately obvious, or maybe the screws were installed wrong. Anyway, quarter the apples first.

Next, once the press is screwed down, do not try and keep going. Let it rest for 5 minutes at least before turning again. We cracked the wooden disc not following this rule. I think the disk was cracked before hand though, also, I spoke with an older farmer who had experience with pressing and he said that it should have been made with two discs and installed with the grain of the wood of the two running crosswise from each other. That way the natural stress of the grain of the wood is distributed. Makes sense. When we get the replacement I will inspect it for this.

I have a cast iron sausage press. It looks very similar. I think it make work for apples and for cheese. I will try it once I get it cleaned up this week.

Chad has the idea to build a Whiz Bang press.....I am very much excited about this. I am apple crazy!

Also, Isaac didn't care for peaches this summer but he is making up for it in apple consumption. Whoa buddy, is he.