Day 85 - Rockin' Hard Cherry Apple Cider

From the quaint Wisconsin vacation region of Door County, comes Rockin' Hard Cherry Apple Cider!  Taken from the Door County Visitor's Bureau, "With 300 miles of shoreline, you can watch a sunrise and a sunset over the water without leaving the county. See thousands of acres of orchards, explore art galleries, devour cherry pie, sip on local wines and brews, splash in the lake or paddle along the bluffs, stroll through five state parks or tour 11 historic lighthouses. No matter what you're looking to get out of your vacation, our 19 unique communities allow you to live life well."

The region is known for it's many apple and cherry orchards and for it's vineyards.  I have never been there but someone from the Door County Visitor's Bureau visited the TV station where I work and brought some wine and apples.  I snagged a bottle of Rockin' Hard Cherry Apple Cider from Door County Cider Co.  

It is estate-grown, fresh-pressed tart and sweet cherry juice and apple, fermented with a slight effervescent and a crisp taste.  They also make Hardcore Apple Cider and Stone Cold Cherry Hard Cider.  They are all 5% ABV and cost aprox. $12.00 for a 750 ml bottle.  The website describes it as semi-sweet but I found it to be quite sweet!  It was just alright for me dawg.  I probably would not try it again but I would love to make it to Door County someday for some nice rest and relaxation, apple picking and booze drinkin'!

Next time, take out your teeth, you don't need em'!  Think back to those care free days when you wore a diaper (I'm wearing one right now!)  I will review/compare apple sauce and apple baby food.  Crunch on or just gum on!

Day 84 - Cosmic Crisp

Cosmic Crisp, proponents have called it the Beyonce of apples!  Is it worthy of this fierce description and lofty name and does this in turn, make Beyonce the Cosmic Crisp of the music world?  It's supposed to be all that and a peck of apples.  Millions have been spent to promote it as the next big thing.  Read on for the shocking results and photographic evidence!

Back in the 1980s', former Washington State University horticulturalist Bruce Barritt became concerned there was too much focus on lame-ass Red and Golden Delicious apples.  He launched a breeding program at the university and in 1997, Barritt crossed a Honeycrisp with an Enterprise and created what came to be known as Cosmic Crisp.  The goal was to create an apple with exceptional, flavor, crunch, juiciness, flexibility, slow browning and long shelf life.

The name Cosmic Crisp came about based on focus groups who thought the striking lenticels on the apple surface reminded them of outer space and the cosmos and of course, they were derived from an apple with crisp in the name.  I think Enterprise probable put thoughts of space in their minds as well.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the shocking photos regarding the alleged long shelf life of said apple.  Would Queen Bee approve of this?!!!!!!!!!

THE FOLLOWING MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO SOME VIEWERS

They (the apple people from outer space) claim Cosmic Crisp should stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to a year.  Imagine my horror when I saw this!  I had this apple for about a month BUT you know what?  Chicken Butt.  I think it must have gotten bruised in the fridge, making it much more prone to mold and decay.  I do believe they last a long time and they are slow to brown.  Here are pics of apple slices right after cutting and after 2, 4 and 6 hours.

They did not brown much which is impressive.  Most of the discoloration occurred after hour 2, interesting.  There are plenty of apples that start to brown within minutes.

My experience with the Cosmic Crisp, very hard flesh with a tart forward but balanced flavor, a loud, snappy crunch that could be heard across the Universe.  The skin was thick but not bitter, thick skin is sometimes bitter, 'twas a large, uniform specimen with a red and yellow, blemish free appearance.

Hubba-hubba Cosmic Crisp!  I hope this picture of Beyonce will get those nasty bruised apple pics out of your mind.

Next time I review Rockin' Hard Cherry Apple Cider.  Crunch on music lovers!