conversations.from: human
conversations.value: What could be a title for a book about Storey's, Country, Wisdom with the genre: Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Cooking by Ingredient?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: A title for this book could be 'Making the Best Apple Cider'
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Provide the first four paragraphs for this book.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Making the Best Apple Cider
  The heady fragrance of fresh sweet cider running from the press is a wonderful blend of mellow apples, the faintly acidic scent of fallen leaves, and the brisk taste of country air that has been cleared by early morning frost.
  Sweet cider is a delicious and refreshing drink, esteemed by centuries of farm workers for its thirst-quenching powers, a tangy beverage savored by children and adults. It can range from a mild apple flavor to a spicy, zesty liquid with a fruity richness reminiscent of ripe pears, to the tingling nip of sharp wild apples. A glass of amber-gold cider poured in winter's gloom and chill has the power to evoke vivid memories of the autumn day it was pressed, and reinforces the sense of thrift and independence that comes from bringing in the harvest and putting up food and drink for the winter.
  The memories of family cider-pressing days stay with children for a lifetime, and through the cooperative work, the fine scents and flavors of the raw material, the instant, gratifying reward of labor in the torrent of delicious golden juice, and the row of filled jugs stored away with anticipation, cider makers enjoy first-hand experiences of self-sufficiency, cooperation, and the pleasure of work.
  If you have kids of your own or can borrow a few, let them help with the cider-making — don't hog all the fun.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Provide four more paragraphs.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Store the harvested apples in a clean, odor-free area for a few days to several weeks, "sweating" them until they yield slightly to the pressure of a firm squeeze. This mellowing procedure improves the flavor of the cider and makes the apples yield up their juices more readily. Never use rotten or decaying apples. Keep the different varieties separate if you want to make a balanced blend after pressing.
  If this is your first cider-making experience, keep the apple varieties, the ground pomace, and the juice separate and blend to taste later. When you have worked out a desired mixture with known quantities of varieties, next time you can grind the mixed apples all together. Many cider makers enjoy experimenting with new blend ratios every fall. That's what makes good, individual ciders. Do not let the pomace stand, but press it immediately.
  If you have a double-tub press, you can set up a continuous cider-making operation with one or two helpers. As one person grinds the apples which fall in pomace form down into the rear tub beneath the grinder, the other tightens the screw or ratcher which presses the pomace in the front tub. When the juice has all been extracted, the front tub slides forward out of the press, and the pomace is dumped. The back tub, now full of fresh-ground pomace, slides forward to be pressed, while the just-emptied tub is popped under the grinder in the rear of the press for a new load of pomace. This "continuous" method yields about eight to ten gallons of cider an hour, and is good exercise for whomever twirls the grinder handle.
  The small hydraulic presses are designed to press pomace which has been loaded into a number of slotted racks, each lined with a sturdy but porous nylon press cloth. The pomace is dumped onto a press cloth laid over a rack. Then the cloth is folded over on each side to completely enclose the pomace, and another rack placed on top of it. The process is repeated until six to eight layers or "cheeses" are stacked up. The hydraulic press, usually operated by a foot pedal, then exerts pressure, and the press stands until all the juice has flowed from the pomace, about half an hour. This is the type of press in large size, most often seen at commercial cider mills.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Provide the last four paragraphs.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: This is the wonderful French Canadian way of baking beans. Put four cups of dried beans in cold water to soak overnight. Next morning, put the beans in a kettle, cover them generously with sweet or hard cider, and boil them for half an hour or until the skins split when you blow on them. Put a few strips of pork in the bottom of the bean pot. Roll a whole onion in dry mustard and bury it in the beans. Pour in ½ cup maple syrup or molasses. Garnish the top of the beans with a few more strips of salt pork. Add enough cider to cover the beans and bake in a slow oven four to six hours. An hour before the beans are done, check to see if they need more cider to keep them moist.
  Put the following spices in a small cheesecloth bag: four or five cloves, a piece of nutmeg, a two-inch piece of cinnamon stick, a cardamom pod. Put the bag in a stainless steel pot and pour over it two quarts of sweet cider. Bring it up slowly to just below the boiling point. Serve hot in mugs.
  You can sweeten the mulled cider with honey or maple syrup. Some people like to add a small piece of vanilla bean or a slice of fresh ginger to the spice bag. Keep the spices to a minimum if children are drinking this tasty warmer.
  Place all the ingredients in a stainless steel pan and heat over a low fire until the liquid steams. Do not let it boil. Strain it into warmed mugs and serve immediately.