Somerset Day

[Bob]

I'm delighted to say its Somerset Day.

I shall be raising a glass or two of the local Nectar and having a little taster of Cheddar Cheese so please feel free to join me.

Meanwhile, here's our National Anthem:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bp9yK_k6wCk

This was filmed at Coates Cider, Nailsea, at the time the second biggest producer in the country.

[Ian]

You are in luck Bob, as Somerset Day coincides with National Eat What You Want Day (in the USA).

https://www.awarenessdays.com/uk/awaren ... -day-2017/

[BigPanzer]

Hi Bob,

Sh!t! I missed it. however I will raise a glass or two to my adopted county tomorrow night.

Told to me by an old Devon farmhand years ago - if you want Real cider, not the stuff that gets sold as such, get 5 gallons of new pressings in the autumn, throw in a pound of cheapest minced beef, a pound of raisins, fit a vent and forget about it till New Year.

Never tried it, though I,ve tested some reputedly made this way. It was excellent, but did have slight laxative properties.

Peter

[Bob]

Jolly fortunate that cider is for life, not just Somerset Day.

That sounds an intresting recipe, and if you want to pop over to us when we make this year's batch if you pick and wash the apples we'll scrat and press them so you just have to take the juice home and add the rest.

Nailsea.

[Bongolia]

Hi Bob,

Sh!t! I missed it. however I will raise a glass or two to my adopted county tomorrow night.

Told to me by an old Devon farmhand years ago - if you want Real cider, not the stuff that gets sold as such, get 5 gallons of new pressings in the autumn, throw in a pound of cheapest minced beef, a pound of raisins, fit a vent and forget about it till New Year.

Never tried it, though I,ve tested some reputedly made this way. It was excellent, but did have slight laxative properties.

Peter

Minced beef!

[Bob]

More hygienic than the traditional rat.

Elf N Safe Tea, yer know.

And there's this sad tale:

http://moodpoint.com/lyrics/unknown/dea ... rumpy.html

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YOegHC40viY

[BigPanzer]

Hi Bob,

As promised I'm raising my glass to Somerset, though its actually a rather pleasant dark beer and I'm afraid the cheese is Camembert.

There is an orchard just round the corner from us, where we run the dogs most days. There are only 3 trees left there now, but they are very old, massive and very prolific. There was an orchard there on an 1850's map so I do wonder if they are one of the old English breeds that are gradually vanishing. All I know is they are big, green and definitely not eaters! They don't get sprayed with insecticides and the nearest they get to chemical fertilizers is when the local scroats p*ss on them so they are apple trees as nature intended and much valued locally. The lower branches get denuded very quickly, but using a long bamboo cane on the upper south facing branches it is possible to fill a bucket full of prime fruit in a couple of minutes. I've made wine in the past and 'er in drawers cooks them. We invite a couple of friends round and have a "chopping party". Not having a press I've never made cider though.

How many lb do you reckon for 5 gallons?

Peter

[Bob]

From memory its about 70/80lbs for 5 gallons, but I never weigh them.

We have a dozen trees and just scrat until the press is full and that gives about a 5 gallon bucket full.

I'll let you know when we start making it and you're welcome to bring a container and take it away full.

We run out of storage before we run out of apples.

[rita]

I'm delighted to say its Somerset Day.

I shall be raising a glass or two of the local Nectar and having a little taster of Cheddar Cheese so please feel free to join me.

Meanwhile, here's our National Anthem:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bp9yK_k6wCk

This was filmed at Coates Cider, Nailsea, at the time the second biggest producer in the country.

Its quite amazing how much these guys look like Pissed Flower pot Men.