The Cider House

Cider today—its origins, how it is made, its producers, its challenges, drinking it at the dinner table, or using it in cooking France’s orchards grow more cider apples than any other country in the world—especially in Brittany, Normandy, and the Basque Country. In Cider House, Bertrand Larcher—whose Breizh Café Farm draws on the richness of the Breton terroir to grow a thousand apple trees of 60 varieties—tells the story of this ancient beverage and the people who make it. Filled with the voices of cider producers, Cider House follows the origins of cider and its production from orchard to cellar, diving into its challenges as well as the viticultural approach to terroir, aging, special blends, and creativity. Take the advice of a sommelier, learning the language of cider and how best to taste it. Then step into the kitchen with more than 30 sweet and savory recipes that bring out the best in apples, from oysters with cider jelly and pulled pork with cider to a crépe with apple compote to cider-based cocktails. With Cider House, Larcher continues to be committed to the rural world, elevating a product of agriculture origin to the realms of gastronomy.