New Hampshire: Apple Cider State!

Did you know that apple cider is the official state beverage for New Hampshire? Apple cider is popular all around the United States and we happen to have two cider mills in the Kansas City area.  My family visits the Louisburg Cider Mill every fall and we went again this week for a self-guided tour to watch cider making!

Touring the Louisburg Cider Mill

To make the cider, first they pick apples and they are delivered to the mill. Then they wash them, after they are washed the apples go into the mill up a belt where they are smashed into applesauce. Then it is squeezed through a filter to make cider. They chill the cider then they bottle it (we watched the bottling also, but didn’t get a photo of that step). These are photos of the tour:

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After watching as they made the cider, we went into the Country Store where they make Apple Cider Donuts… my FAVORITE!

Making Cider Donuts

Then, we had a picnic at the table eating donuts and sampling sparkling cider. They sell regular apple cider and flavored sparkling ciders including raspberry apple cider, the one I liked best. I love love love love the sparkling cider… you HAVE to try it! It’s bubbly and it tickles your nose. My sisters love it too! We took some cider and donuts home to share with dad.

Later, we read the book “Apple Cider Making Days” by Ann Purmell. The story is about a family working together to make cider for their family business. The book had nice pictures and showed every step to make cider.

Apple Cider Making Days

Other books we read about Apples:

• The Apple Pie that Papa Baked by Lauren Thompson. I loved the illustrations in this book!
• Amelia Bedelia’s First Apple Pie by Herman Parish. Amelia Bedelia books are some of my favorites. They are funny and fun!
• The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall. This story tells about a tree growing and producing apples.
• The Apple King by Francesca Bosa. This story tells about the importance of sharing.
• An Apple Pie for Dinner by Susan VanHecke. This book has fun illustrations with clay and felt. It is a story of sharing.
• One Red Apple by Harriet Ziefert. This book has beautiful pictures.
• Apple Pie by Gennady Spirin. This is an alphabet book with beautiful illustrations.

I love apple cider! Do you?

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