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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, November 4, 2008 Learn to craft your own apple cider with an edge By Kristi O'Harran Herald Columnist Sightseeing trips to Eastern Washington often include stopping to buy fresh-pressed apple cider to bring back to the western side. Yet there is really no need to head east for apple beverages. Gary Moulton offers a program Nov. 11 in Sultan about what it takes to produce handcrafted hard cider. The Washington State University Extension tree fruit specialist will discuss ciders at 10 a.m. at Ed's Apples, 13420 339th Ave. SE. Learn how to make the beverage and even grow your own orchard. To register for the $55 program, call Karie Christensen at 425-338-2400 or e-mail klchristen@cahnrs.wsu.edu. "We actually have a few excellent hard-cider makers in our area," Moulton says. "If one desires to produce a handcrafted product for the connoisseur, the cool area of Western Washington has a climate very similar to the UK." He says in the United Kingdom, some apple varieties are called bittersweets and bitter sharps. "The tannins give bitterness and often a fuzzy mouth feel (astringency) on the tongue. These varieties are to cider as fine wine grapes are to wine." As folks speculate about this being the worst season ever for Seattle professional sports, Mark Gifford of Everett spent hours putting statistics behind the grumbling. His work, not his name, was mentioned in a story on page C1 in our Sunday sports section headlined "Nothing to cheer about." Out of curiosity, Gifford set out to find if this can be called the worst year in statewide sports. He shared his research with The Herald and radio host Jeff Aaron of KRKO-AM 1380. Gifford analyzed how many times all three statewide teams, the Seattle Seahawks, University of Washington Huskies and Washington State Cougars, all lost on the same weekend. "In 1998, all three teams lost on the same weekend, four times," Gifford, 41, says. "The worst year for strictly wins was 1976, when the three teams combined for 10 wins." The University of Washington graduate, who works for Verizon in Lynnwood, doesn't dwell on crummy performances. He has a silver lining in his sports life. Gifford has season tickets to the Everett Silvertips. With a winning season to date, there is no grumbling about hockey. This isn't a bazaar with homemade jams and wind chimes made from compact discs. To benefit scholarships for Mukilteo School District high school seniors who plan to study art in college, a Holiday Art Mart is planned for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Rosehill Community Center, 304 Lincoln Ave. in Mukilteo. Debby McGehee, president of the Mukilteo Arts Guild, and Christine Awad Schmalz, vice president, took the time to travel and research various markets. "We selected the vendors from all mediums that offer the best gift items representing Western Washington," Awad Schmalz says. "I have lived all over the United States and collected functional art and art in various states, but never with the variety that is available in the Puget Sound region." Columnist Kristi O'Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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