Day 899 : A break from our Fall into Beer, for a Cider Pairing

Fall is the perfect time for hard cider and living in New York City, there are plenty of options for fabulous local hard ciders -- light and refreshing yet crisp and satisfying. There's something absolutely perfect about a frosty frothy pint of cider as the days get shorter, the leaves start falling off the trees, and the autumnal light glows.

One of my favorite Northeast ciders is Farnum Hill's Farmhouse hailing from Poverty Lane Orchards in Lebanon, New Hampshire, right near my alma mater. Farnum Hill grows a mixture of American, English, an French apples and crafts seven different varieties of ciders, both sparkling and still. Their Farmhouse is reminiscent of classic English and Irish but crisp with less of a lingering sweetness. Pale golden in color with a fabulous bubbly effervescence -- Farmhouse balances a rustic earthy tartness with a round bright clean fruity sweetness. It has a bit tannic biting side to it which allows for a dynamic depth of flavor profile.

Image courtesy of www.povertylaneorchards.com

With our Farmhouse Cider, how about some of Vermont Farmstead's BrickHaus Tilsit? This washed curd cow's milk cheese from my friends in Windsor, Vermont is the perfect pairing partner if you ask me. Smooth, round and buttery with a nice bright sweetness to it with hints of grassy citrus. Enjoy your cider with some nibbles of BrickHaus Tilsit, roasted walnuts and some baugette! The perfect early Fall pairing!

Image courtesy of www.vermontfarmstead.com