The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-11-03
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Cider.

Cider.
The following by Alexander Hyde in the
New York Times is seasonable as, in the first
place, cider should not be made till the ap-
pies are thoroughly ripe aud the weather is
cool. No good cider can be made iron i'm.
mature apples. No sugar must be developed
In them, CT the cider will be as flashy as
dishwater, hardly fit for vinegar. If the
temperature is up to 600 or in that vicinity.
the fermentation is so rapid that vinegar is
the result in short time. We prefer there
tore TO delay the making of cider TIL the last
OF October, and even still later, unless the
weather is decidedly cool. The whole pro-
cess must be managed with neatness and
care. Cider is often spoiled by the musty
straw used in putting up the cheese, and
oftener still by the musty barrel in which it
is slowed. An old barrel may possibly be
c!eansed so that it is fit to receive cider, but
it is seldom done, and the Scripture injunc-
ton to put new wine into new bottles is no
more imperative than the modern principle,
put new cider into new barrels. We have
tried all manner OF ways to cleanse old bar
rels, have put ashes, lime, &c, into them
and worked over them long enough to earn a
new barrel, but still the seeds of putrefaction
were left in some crack that damaged the
cider. II any one has the facilities to turn
steam into his old barrels it may be economy
to use them, for steam will search out eyery
crack and destroy all remains of old fermen-
tations; otherwise we recommend farmers to
make soap-tubs of their old cider barrels, or
turn them into some other use, and buy new
barrels for their new cider. Whiskey and
alcohol barrels can generally be bought at a
low figure, and they answer a good purpose.
Old vine casks we are not so sure of. We
are afraid of the dregs lest they should prove
to be drugs.
If cider is made late enough in the season,
and is well filtered-that is, strained throu Oh
gravel and fine charcoal-before it is slowed
in the cask, it may be put into a cool cellar
and the fermentation will be so slow that it
will not be necessary to give it vent. 1t should
however, be watched, lest the strain should
be so great as to press out the heads of the
barrels. We much prefer this slow terment-
alton. 1t is a mistake to suppose that it is
always necessary to take out the bungs for
few days. Sufficient air will ooze into the
highest casks to cause all the fermentation
requisite, and the more slowly it proceeds the
better the vinous effect. The filtering should
not be neglected, no matter at what season
the cider is made, for if any pomance enters
the barrel nucleus is furnished for putrefac-
tive fermentation. The common straw filter
is not sufficient to strain out all the organized
solids and leave the liquid as it should be, as
clear as quill.
1t is often recommended to put into the
new cider some antiseptic, as sulphate of
lime or mustard seed, in order to prevent rap
id fermentation, but if the cider is made late
this is unnecessary, and all foreign ingredient
are to be avoided if possible. The pure Juice
OF the ripe apples makes the best cider when
unauthorized. Lime neutralizes the acidity
more or less, according to the amount used,
and the acid is what most stomacbs, especial
ly bilious ones, crave, and ii Is necessary to
make cider healthy beverage. Neither
would we add any sugar. OF course this
would furnish more achoho, but Il is not an
alcoholic drink that we make or recommend
cider. Pure, weli-termented cider contains
from six to eight per cent. Of alcohol, and
this is sufficient stimulus TO promote dges-
ton in all stomachs that are in normal con-
diti0n. Even with this limited amont it must
be used with moderation or it will induce
disease. The young seldom need any. It is
only when dyspepsia and other infirmities
put 10 their appearance that little cider with
the dinner does good.
Our Reseipt for Making Snuer Kraus.
The best we ever ate we make ourselves
and have done so for many years, and for a
considerable time with our own hands, and
always from Savoy cabbage. It was manut
your stand" holding from half barrel to
barrel, be thoroughly scalded out; the cutter,
the tub and the stamper also well scaided,
Take Off all the outer leaves of the cabbaCes,
halve them, and remove the heart and pro.
coed with the cutting. Lay some clean
leaves at the bottom of the stand, sprinkle
with handful of salt. fill in half bushel of
cut cabbage, stamp gently until the juice just
makes its appearance, then add another
handful OF salt, and so on until the stand is
full Cover over with cabbage leaves, place
ON top clean board fitting the space pretty
well, and on the top of that stone weighing
twelve OF fifteen pounds. Stand away in a
cool place and when hard freezing comes on
remove to the cellar. 1t will be ready for
use In from four to six weeks. The cabbage
should be cut tolerably coarse. The Savoy
variety makes the best article, but it is ouly
half as productive as the Drumhead and Flat
Dutch.
We will just add that there is no dish more
wholesome than well made sauer kraut, but
1t should always be boied-and well boiled
with piece of picked pork or corned beef
Germantown Telegraph.