It is that time of year when apples are in abundance & we can start the apple pressing!
The leaves have turned to the beautiful burnt umber colour, which in my eyes, signifies Autumn. As the leaves begin to fall, the apples are ready to be harvested. Within Cheriton Fitzpaine, we have a number of apple orchards, predominately for the good stuff – cider ! Our local farmers, Sid & Spud, supply a number of local & well known cider producers, in and around Devon and up to Somerset.
Every year The Ring of Bells, with the help of our lovely bunch on locals, we host an apple pressing day. We wash, scrump, scrat, press and bottle the juice ourselves and everyone gets to go home with the bounty. As well as apple juice, we also press cider & pear juice. If you have any unwanted apples, bring them on down to this lovely, family friendly, community spirited afternoon.
The West Country produces and consumes a hell of a lot of cider ! We stock at least 3 different ciders in the pub at any one time. Sam’s Cider from Winkleigh They have been producing cider for over a 100 years and definitely know their way around an apple press. Closer still is Sandford Orchard, only 10 minutes away, they produce cracking cider My favourite of theirs is Ice Cider, ice fermented cider, very similar to the process of making dessert wine, the result is a powerful, rich & intense, smooth drink, a perfect addition to cheese.
