Book Review: The Big Book of Cidermaking by Christopher Shockley and Kirsten K. Shockley

The Big Book of Cidermaking: Expert Techniques for Fermentingand Flavoring Your Favorite Hard Cider
by Christopher Shockley and Kirsten K. Shockley (663.2 Sho)

 

I’ll have to admit — I don’t drink beer. I enjoy an occasional cocktail or wine cooler, or glass of white wine. But if I’m going to indulge in any “adult” beverage, my first choice is going to be a hard cider.

 

So when I saw this book on the libraries’ “new books” display, all about the history of, and mechanics of creating your own hard ciders at home, I was fascinated. I can remember when my dad made his own wine at home, in the early 1970s, and I have other friends and relatives who brew their own beer. The authors of The Big Book of Cidermaking go into incredible detail about how to engage in this craft hobby. In particular, I appreciated the chapters touching on the different flavor elements of the many varieties of apples used in cider distilling. As is usually the case with books from Workman Publishing, the photos accompanying the text are absolutely gorgeous.

 

On the other hand, the authors are also straight-forward in their explanations for how equipment-intensive cidermaking can be — I don’t think it’s something I’ll pursue — but this book makes me appreciate all the various local small-brew companies in the Lincoln, NE area that have established Lincoln as a hotbed for craft cideries. Places like Glacial Till, Saro Cider and James Arthur Vineyards have been producing impressive small-batch hard ciders for the past several years, many available canned or bottled in local grocery and liquor stores. If you have been curious about what it would take to create your own ciders — this is the perfect book for you. If you just want to know more about what goes into these fruity beverages, give this one a try!

[ publisher’s official Big Book of Cidermaking web site ] | [ ferment.works – the official web site of Christopher and Kirsten Shockley ]

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Sloshies: 102 Buzzy Cocktails Straight From the Freezer by Jerry Nevins

Sloshies: 102 Buzzy Cocktails Straight From the Freezer
by Jerry Nevins (of Snow & Co.) [641.874 Nev] 

I saw this title appear in our “What’s Cooking” e-mail newsletter, as a new addition to the libraries’ culinary books section, and was intrigued. I’m not much of a drinker — don’t like either beer or most wines — but I do like the occasional cocktail or mixed drink, and the concept of an entire recipe book filled with “frozen drinks” was appealing.

Nevins, co-founder of Kansas City frozen cocktail bar “Snow & Co.”, brings a sense of humor and a desire for simplicity to his extensive list of recipes. He shows how ANYone can create frozen cocktails with ease — using expensive freezing/churning equipment, or simply mixing the ingredients in a ziploc baggie and freezing them for four hours! He definitely shows how the frozen drink world is NOT just limited to such traditional but unimaginative fare as Daiquiris, Pina Coladas and frozen Margaritas. He also emphasizes the use of fresh ingredients over prepared ingredients, especially with fruit juices and herbs.

I’m intrigued by almost ALL of the recipes included in the book, though the wide variety of alcholic ingredients would require a major expansion of my liquor cabinent! I may have to pick up my own copy of this, or make numerous photocopies to get all these recipes for myself in the long run. My only complaint is that I’m a visual learner, and I’d like to know what each of these drinks actually looks like — and, unfortunately, there are photographs of only a small sampling of the drinks, so the rest is up to our imaginations. The opening chapter of the book covers basic tools for assembling the drinks, including how to make both “basic syrup” and “infused syrups” (nearly every drink includes one of these two ingredients), as well as the benefits of different types of glasses for drink presentation. There’s also information on how to decorate your drinks — in fact, each and every drink recipe tells you what the ABV (alcohol by volume), recommended glass shape, and best garnish (some very simple and some fairly complex). Though the book is broken into chapters — Tart, Sweet, Spiced and Floral — I appreciate the index at the back that lists drinks by the alcoholic ingredient.

A fun read, with intriguing recipes. I recommend this one!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Booze Cakes: Confections Spiked With Spirits, Wine or Beer, by Krystina Castella.]

[ official Sloshies web site ] | [ official Snow & Co. web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

The History of the World in 6 Glasses

The History of the World in 6 Glasses
by Tom Standage [394.12 Sta]

This interesting book explores the histories of six beverages (beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola) and the influence each had on an particular era of history. The author describes the origin of each drink, along with the social and cultural conditions of the time period, and discusses the impact of the beverage on world events. Mr. Standage writes in an entertaining and engaging style, making this book a quick and enjoyable read. History lovers will guzzle this book right down! -- recommended by Erin S. - Anderson and Bethany Branch Libraries

[ official History of the World in 6 Glasses/Tom Standage web site/blog ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.