Make apple juice

Making juice from home-grown apples is one of the most satisfying ways of using surplus and windfall fruit. Most gardeners are familiar with the seasonal problems of over production as the freezer fills with apple puree, the prospect of another apple pie or crumble seems less enticing than it did at the beginning of the season and there are still more apples to be removed from under the trees before the grass can be mown. The answer is a fruit press that will gobble up pound upon pound of apples and generate gallons of delicious juice which can be drunk immediately, stored until later or turned into cider.

Fresh home-made juice tastes far better than most mass-produced commercial juices, many of which are made from reconstituted imported concentrates. Apples can express as much range of flavour as wines and it is a delight to experiment with different varieties and blends. Home made juice is ideal for those who are concerned about chemical spray residues: you will know what has gone into your juice.