A Bottle of Real cider – could it be your next choice to pair with your dinner!
We want to be part of incorporating the craft ciders into food and drinking culture in Finland. Finnish real ciders are best appreciated when paired with the right kind of foods. Real ciders should take the centre stage, not just on the side of the craft beer shelf.
Emmi Brownie / Lepola
Cider is strong part of drinking culture in many countries in Europe. Cider is part of everyday life just like wine and beer. We would love it to be like this also in Finland. Real cider is an easy choice for those who appreciate for instance local and Finnish produce in their drink. Apple cider can be produced with 100% Finnish ingredients. Low alcohol cider is also a great choice for even longer evenings.
LEPOLA’S IDEA OF CIDER
The definition of cider is clear for us: 100% apple juice, spices and flavours from real berries and fruit. No concentrates, no artificial aromas, no added water. Cider is produced from real apples (or Perry from pears), that are picked and pressed into juice. The complex aromas of the apples are stored and recognizable in the final product. Cider is fermented with yeast, spontaneously with wild yeast or by adding specific yeasts for certain characteristics.
We don’t see products as cider that contain mostly water, apple juice concentrate, fruit wine, artificial aromas, or other stuff you can often find in the ingredient list. This product category has found its place in the shops and restaurants, and the existence is totally understandable. These drinks just shouldn’t be called cider.
CIDER PAIRS WELL WITH MANY FOODS
Cider is an easy choice for many dishes. Here are a couple of tips for pairing Lepola ciders with food!
Lepola Real is dry and fresh apple cider with crisp acidity. Real pairs great with traditional Finnish creamy salmon soup. Cider’s acidity balances the creaminess of the soup just right.
Medium DryLepola Medium Dry is a spot on choice with spicy burger. The acidity in the cider works well with the fullness of the burger. Little sweetness balances well with spiciness.
Lepola Cherry Apple Cider can be enjoyed with grilled lamb chops and vegetable risotto (or just with the risotto too). Cherry cider has a nice slightly bitter aftertaste and a moderate sweetness that emphasize nicely the smokey lamb. The cheesy creaminess of the risotto and the acidity of the cider are a good match, even without the lamb.
Cheers!
P.S. Now is a perfect time to make your own homemade cider. Check out the instructions from here (site in Finnish, so use translator 😊): https://www.aitosiideri.fi/valmistaminen/ https://www.aitosiideri.fi/valmistaminen/