I moved to Maryland this summer to be closer to my new job, and have been settling into life outside of DC. While it's taken some adjustment, I've been enjoying it immensely and I don't think I'd ever want to move back to the District.
Much of my exploration of the area (still technically connected to DC due to the high volume of people living out here and commuting into DC) has been the countryside. There's been nothing but awe and admiration of the beauty of the land and just how different it is out here. A friend said I've "finally moved to America." Having spent so much of my time is odd pockets of the country (Northern California and then DC), it's really not just a snarky comment, but an accurate commentary on those two regions.
This weekend, I made a second visit to a local cidery, Distillery Lane Ciderworks.
Upon my very first tasting, I first found the hard cider somewhat funky and a huge divergence from what I was used to (alcoholic candy). But with this second tasting, I had a new appreciation of traditional, "real" hard cider. Unlike the major commercial brands of cider, their versions are made from cider apples, not eating apples, so they need to add less sugar to the fermentation process. The flavor is heady, alcohol forward, earthy, and has a true apple flavor. Some are still, some are sparkling, some have carbonation added, some are fermented in-bottle, and one or two are finished in oak bourbon casks (giving it a wonderful, oaky depth to the flavor!).
My favorite was the Kingston Black cider, both still and sparkling versions.
I also bought fresh-pressed apple cider and some apples!
I chose apple varieties I hadn't heard of, grabbed ones I couldn't find in the store and that weren't labeled as "modern" or "recent". The varieties I chose were: Spitzam berry, York, Miller's Red, Golden Russet, Splendour, Gold Rush, and Roxbury Russet. Many of these apples, especially the yellows, are dull in appearance, ugly, bumpy, and have a rough skin. If you're used to shiny, waxed, smooth apples, they might not look appealing. But their flavor is complex and delightful -- unlike any apples you can get in the store. I'll be buying my apples from this orchard from now on!
Cheers,
Miss N.
