If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, can it at least sometimes come in a glass?

According to historians, most apples were consumed from a glass until the turn of the last century when they were enjoyed as hard (alcoholic) cider, not nibbled as whole fruit.

In fact, some say that Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman), planted his apple progeny ahead of the settlers in the West (mainly Ohio and Indiana) so that when they arrived at their new homes, they would have established orchards for cider-making, not for munching fruit straight off the tree.

But cider was the apple of many an eye long before Mr. Appleseed and his planting passion. Records show that people have been quaffing cider since at least 55 B.C. -- when the Romans arrived in what is now England and found the locals drinking a cider-like liquid.

During the colonial period, hard cider was one of America's most popular beverages. A town's prosperity often was judged by the volume of cider it produced. It was only until Carrie Nation with her infamous ax (often used for chopping down those cider-apple trees) led the way to prohibition that cider consumption stopped growing in the United States. And that "apple a day" axiom? Apparently, it was a marketing ploy created in the early 1900s to save the apple from drifting into obscurity as cider fell from grace during prohibition.

Like craft beer, cider is seeing a revival in interest as more people are discovering artisan foods such as cheeses, breads and coffees. "Foodies" are finding that a crisp, dry cider can pair wonderfully with other fine ingredients in the kitchen or with a meal at the dinner table -- and even during cocktail hour.

Europeans have been fermenting cider, mostly apple and pear, for centuries. Here in the States, a growing number of cider makers are beginning to pop up as interest begins to grow. Artisan cider is made from fresh, pressed apples or pears instead of juice concentrate. And we're not talking Red Delicious apples here. Being very tart and acidic, the best apples for cider are not suitable for eating. Some cider makers call them "spitters" -- if bitten into, they're best savored in the mouth for a few moments and then spit out. While these apples probably won't find their way into your lunchbox, their acidity and bitterness are transformed into a terrific cider.

With autumn on the horizon, now is a great time to start exploring ciders. Several national brands are available, but you might want to snoop around to see if there are any local cider makers in your area. Chances are, if there are apple orchards nearby, you might find some artisan cider.

Cheers!

Get a fresh serving of Liquid Solutions every other Thursday. You can reach columnist Lisa Morrison at lisa@ibsys.com.