Book excerpt: Clear, simple language, numerous illustrations, and detailed step-by-step instructions, lead you through making fresh and delicious sweet and hard ciders - including blended and sparkling ciders; building your own working apple press; enhancing your cooking with cider as an ingredient; choosing the right apple cultivar for the flavor you want; and planning and planting your very own home orchard for the freshest batch of cider ever! Plus, interesting bits of history and lore shed light on cider's colorful past.