Things change all the time. The seasons cycle through (though less predictably than in the decades gone by), and we all grow and change. Recently, I completed a first draft of a novel manuscript. This is a first for me, and I’m excited to jump into editing. And I’ve accepted an exciting offer of a different role within the larger organization of my day job. That will start next week. I still love apples and cider, so I celebrated the good job news with a special bottle.  Today I’m sharing my thoughts on that celebratory beverage: Eden Cidery’s Cellar Series Franklin Pet Nat. If anyone re ..read more

  I wanted to make comfort food at home this weekend. We’ve had a lot of hard stuff going on lately, and the weekend finally gave me enough breathing room to cook about it. So I made vegetarian lasagna. Every lasagna I’ve ever made is vegetarian, but I looked for ways to pack more vegetables in without losing the dish’s richness and indulgence. It’s supposed to be a super savory pile of cheese and noodles smothered in rich tomato sauce! And as soon as the craving hit, I knew it would be a great chance to pick a big cider with intense flavors as an accompaniment. That’s why this week’s ci ..read more

I’m an introvert, and yet I love good events. It feels like a paradox. I need quiet time away from people to recover energy rather than gaining energy from time with people, but at the same time both attending or hosting many different kinds of events remains satisfying to me. I’ve been slowly reading bits of The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker, and so much of what she writes resonates with me. I’ll share one quote and then I’ll get into this week’s review.  Why do we gather? We gather to solve problems that we can't solve on our own, we gather to celebrate, to morn, and to mark transit ..read more

Being quite busy caught up to me last week, and I was down with a cold for much of the time. That’s no one’s favorite, and I was worried I wouldn’t recover in time to take decent notes on a cider this week. Lucky for me, rest works wonders. My sensitivity to taste and scent were back in action enough by Sunday evening to taste a cider that’s been waiting too long in my fridge. Here’s what I thought about Portland Cider Co.’s Cinnamon Roll!  Please check out my previous reviews of Portland Cider Co. beverages to learn more about this west coast cidery. It’s a wildly adventurous company in ..read more

  Last week, we had a tiny preview of Spring. It was unbelievable, and it reminded me to trust that in a couple of months Spring will arrive in earnest. The Tall One and I took a long impromptu walk, inspired by sunlight after 4pm and mild temperatures. It was a kind of magic that Winter doesn’t know. We ended up catching a lovely meal at a restaurant we’d not visited for months and months. There, I tried a Blackbird Cider Works Extra Dry Classic Wood Aged Cider. Blackbird Cider Works is now based out of Buffalo, New York. Though it is a regional cidery, I’ve not tasted or reviewed the c ..read more

This weekend, I finally saw the sun in February. What an amazing restorative. Each chance for a walk in bright light  feels like a stolen treasure. Relish them. When we don’t have the golden orb blessing us, there are bit of brightness that can come from other directions. I’m happy to enjoy those too. I was so happy to get 2 Towns’ Apricot Cosmic Crisp review samples recently.  2 Towns is named for Corvallis and Portland, Oregon where the cidery is based. I’ve been fond of this adventurous cidery since I first tasted them in 2014! I can’t believe it has been 10 years! You can find l ..read more

For most of the day my phone was missing! My long-suffering backpack gave up one of its side pockets this morning. Thankfully, a kind person found it, the Tall One called it, and they got together while I was at work to return the phone. My cider notes from this weekend were already safely stored redundantly! Here’s a sign from the universe; save your work in multiple places. Thanks again, random kind stranger! This week’s review is one I’ve been saving for a rainy night. I’m opening up my bottle of Angry Orchard’s The Extension. This is a small batch Walden Cider House project made using al ..read more

Giant publisher Conde Nast laid off most of the Pitchfork staff recently, dealing a horrific blow to the world of music writing. Last week, most Sports Illustrated workers were recently cut without ceremony. In the fall of last year, the majority of Bandcamp’s journalists were also let go. None of these sites were gutted because people were failing to produce quality work. I could track down countless similar stories. I’m sharing because I care about culture journalism just like I care about all journalism.  I’m invested in that I started this cider review blog totally independently elev ..read more

Now that the time to Wassail has come and gone, it's time for a little winter snooze. The trees are resting, so I will join them. To everyone who is going, have a wonderful time at CiderCon! I'll catch you when you're back.     ..read more

Welcome to 2024! I write this from the liminal week between Christmas and the new year. Some folks get restless during this time, or mind that they forget what day of the week it is. Others return to work and life as usual. Yet others, and I count myself in this last lucky camp, relish the quiet long chance to say goodbye to the year not in a moment or a night but for a solid week. I’m looking back at the good moments, good books, good films, and holding those close. The challenges certainly come, but they don’t need any extra airtime. And I’m happy to be traveling to see my family right now ..read more