SeasonalSeasonal reciperecipe Seasonal Recipe John's mulled cider Orchard Newsletter Ingredients 1 litre cider Winter 2014 200ml sloe gin Half a dozen cloves Four cinnamon sticks Sugar or honey (optional) A good (homemade) apple juice (optional) A sliced orange or two Method Put the cider (and apple juice if using) into a saucepan with the spices and bring slowly to the boil with the lid on. As soon as it starts to simmer turn off the heat and add the sloe gin and the oranges. Taste and add honey or sugar to if you want. Serve Issue 36 straight away by a log fire with the back door closed! Wassailing events 2015 Christmas mulling Urban Orchard Project Orchard grants For further information, contact Joy Williams at Somerset County Council, on 01823 355663, [email protected] or the contacts specified for each item. To request this document in an alternative format please contact us. OrchardOrchard newsnews OrchardOrchard newsnews Note from the Author / Editor John’s Mulled Cider When producing the Winter Orchard Newsletter I sometimes find there I liked this article in the Guardian on mulled cider by John Wright – an is a lack of orchard related news at this time of year. I know I have abbreviated version is shown below and his Mulled Cider is our often featured mistletoe articles so this time I have covered another Seasonal Recipe. Christmas and Wassail tradition of mulling cider (and other alcoholic beverages) so apologies to any tea-totallers! The log fire in the Wright household is now lit and anyone who leaves the back door open risks voices raised in recrimination. Time, I think, for something warming. Few alcoholic drinks are served hot for the straightforward reason that much of the all-important alcohol can evaporate but one drink is consumed this way – mulled cider, wine or ale. Mulled drinks have a long history – Samuel Pepys spoke of To mull, or not to mull? drinking "mulled sacke" (hot sherry) and there are recipes going back to the 17th century. Mulled alcohol is as much a part of Christmas as sprouts and stockings - but should it be wine, cider or rum-spiked eggnog? In our recipe we will be using spices and the most important part – cider and sloe gin. The basic idea of making any mulled drink is to Mulled wine can be traced back as far as ancient Egypt, where wine warm the liquor gently with spices. Which spices is up to you – nutmeg, was often spiced with pine resin and figs to ensure a safe transition to star anise and vanilla can be used, though we're going to stick with the afterlife. Others say it came from the Roman emperors in the 4th tradition and use just cloves and cinnamon. Sugar or honey can be century when wine was sweetened with honey and spices. added to taste but because of the unusual addition of the very sweet sloe gin in this recipe, you probably won't need it. The idea of mulling is fairly international. The French version of “vin chaud” is often made with Cognac whilst in Germany we have The full article by John Wright can be found on the Guardian website: “Glühwein”, meaning “glowing wine” – possibly due to the addition of a www.theguardian.com shot of something stronger, like whisky. In England many of us enjoy spiced cider and beer, and indeed, English versions like wassail were made from beer or mead. Medieval texts say that spiced alcoholic drinks made with sugar were destined for the lords, while ones made with honey were for the people. Recipes for mulled drinks vary with a multitude of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, star anise and more) and there is debate about the alcoholic base and other additions as well as the inclusion of fruit! But this Christmas I will be making John’s mulled cider (see Seasonal Recipe) and drinking my wine straight! OrchardOrchard informationinformation OrchardOrchard booksbooks Urban Orchard Project The Apple Book (Rhs) Paperback – 2 Oct 2014 Following on from the success of the By Rosie Sanders (Author), Harry Baker (Contributor) London Orchard Project the Urban Published in October 2014 - this is a new and updated edition of her Orchard Project is creating lush cities book ‘The English Apple’ first published in 1988 and still the most across the UK swathed in fruit and nut popular book for apple identification in the UK. Rosie has devoted years trees. They are working with communities to plant, manage, restore to researching this book which contains 44 detailed watercolours of such and harvest orchards in urban areas. Their website has lots of useful varieties as Beauty of Bath, Cox's Orange Pippin and Egremont Russet. information for anyone owning or interested in orchards. They provide this seasonal advice: She shows the apples, their blossom, twig and leaf and has written a detailed description Winter is the dormant period for apple and pear trees, so now is the recording their shape, colour, aroma, flavour time to prune and plant. Formative pruning encourages a well-shaped and season as well as a little of the history of framework of branches to allow sun and fresh air to reach the fruit and each variety. The book is enhanced by a ensure easy harvesting. Restorative pruning of older trees helps to practical essay on apple growing by Harry prevent disease, stop branches breaking off and maintains Baker, fruit officer for many years at the Royal productivity. Pruning encourages the growth of young, fruiting wood, Horticultural Society and one of Britain's and allows diseased material to be removed. foremost authorities on apple growing. The Apple Book is available from good book Once dormant, young trees can be lifted from the ground and moved, shops and on-line. so this the best time to plant new trees and the only time you should plant bare root trees. www.theurbanorchardproject.org OrchardOrchard websiteswebsites Orchard Grants If you are thinking of planting or pruning some traditional orchard trees The Archive of Cider Pomology this winter - remember there are still grants available (thanks to I came across this interesting website established in 2009 by the Shepton Mallet Cider Mill) but planting will need to be completed by Hereford Cider Museum, supported by the Pippin Trust and funded by end March 2015. Information and application forms are available from the National Association of Cider Makers. It aims to preserve and Countryside Community Grants safeguard records and archives of the cider and perry industry. There are lots of Research and Information documents available for free Funding is also available to provide advice on all download, and you can also search for specific documents. The aspects managing traditional orchards. If you would information held is of particular interest to cider makers, apple growers, like to find out more please contact the FWAG agricultural organisations and the heritage industry. SouthWest Advisor Rebecca Mills. www.archiveofciderpomology.co.uk OrchardOrchard eventsevents WassailingWassailing eventsevents Winter in the Orchards – Sat 7 February – Charlton Orchards Here are just some of the Annual Wassailing events across Somerset 10.00 am - 5.00 pm at Charlton Orchards, Charlton Road, Creech St but I’m sure there are plenty more! Michael, Taunton, TA3 5PF. Come and see what fruit growers do in the winter. With free advice on Porlock Wassail - Tuesday 6 January 2015 6.00pm - 8.00pm fruit growing, mini-workshops and bare root fruit trees and bushes for Route: Dovery Museum to Community Orchard. For details: sale. Admission is free and light refreshments will be available. 01643 863150 or www.porlockapplepress.co.uk Charlton Orchards will be offering Pruning Workshops in 2015 Rich’s Cider & Burnham Rotary Club Annual Wassail Between January and March (dates to be Saturday 17 January 2015 7.00pm - 11.00pm arranged). The workshops can be tailored to at Watchfield, Highbridge, TA9 4RD individuals or small groups, can be full day Music from the Skimitty Hitchers and the Bob Darch Disco. Tickets (£50) or half day (£30) and for beginners or are £7.50 with proceeds going to the Stroke Association. For more those at an intermediate level. information and tickets: 01278 783651 www.richscider.co.uk To find out more about the above events visit their website: www.charltonorchards.com Carhampton Wassail - Saturday 17 January 2015 6.30 pm at the Community Orchard in the centre of the village to wassail the new Bramley seeding. Refreshments including a locally brewed cider cup will be available. The evening will continue at the pub next door, the Butchers Arms, Carhampton, TA24 6LP For more details: Carhampton Community Orchard SIVAL Plant Production Trade Show 13-15 January 2015 Dunster Wassail - Saturday 17 January 2015 7.45pm This is a large agricultural exhibition tak- at the Buttercross Orchard (between The Buttercross and The Bull) ing place at Angers, northern France. It is For more information: www.visitdunster.co.uk a premier event for cider producers and a few from the South West will be attending. Kilmersdon Wassail – Saturday 17 January 2015 from 12 noon The leading cider equipment manufacturers will all be there with at Kilmersdon Village Hall, Radstock, Bath, BA3 5TD information and equipment relating to cider and orchards, including The Wassail starts at 12 noon when ploughman’s lunches will be planting, pruning, maintenance, spraying, bottling, pressing and more. available and the Wassail Queen will be crowned, followed by a For more details visit the website: procession to the Community Orchard for the Wassail ceremony and www.sival-angers.com tea and apple cake at the Old School House. For more information: www.kilmersdonvillagehall.co.uk .