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| UK cover |
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| US cover |
As any cider other dork will tell you, there simply isn't a book out there that really explores all of the worlds cider producing regions in any depth.. until now. Some have come closer to it than others but most books on the subject tend to focus on production techniques or explore the historical aspect on a particular country/region/area etc. This is my second book in collaboration with Pete Brown and we made a conscious decision to use those two simple aspects as a basis whilst being as honest and democratic as possible.
Whilst on holiday 2010, I read his book 'Three Sheets to the Wind' - its a hilarious personal account of his beery explorations and I thoroughly recommend anyone read it, its brilliant and I giggled my way through it in no time. Impressed by the candour of his style (something I aspire to in all of my photography) we chatted about working on something together. I pointed him toward my cider based personal work that started in 2004 and our pip was sown. Since then, I've been driving him deeper into cider country (literally - he doesn't drive), introducing him to cider as I know it - sharing the people, places and opinions that make up my cider world.
Initially, we hoped to produce a creative book exploring Cider's culture, something we hope we've shoehorned in as its a misunderstood and neglected aspect that most people don't give a second thought to. As the idea evolved, we realised we were both fascinated by an ever increasing awareness of something similar to the 'Cider' we know in UK, while also being completely different, from our neighbours such as France. Looking further afield still, we met fellow cider enthusiasts from around the world and learned more about the very old cider cultures in northern Spain, Germany and Austria too. I started receiving messages from cider devotees in USA and meeting representatives from Australia and even Japan and the idea developed further. With a shove from our publishers, the concept of 'World's Best Cider' was born.
'World's Best Cider: Taste Tradition and Terroir, from Somerset to Seattle' starts by explaining the basic elements of cider and the diversity of apples. The major cider producing regions of the world are covered one at a time, with a brief look at their culture, history and identity with each section finishes on suggested ciders from each region that you may want to try.
My hope is that it brings Cider to a new audience, whilst providing a book that established cider enthusiasts can celebrate and introduce cider makers around the world to each other. As a subject, I hope it may hold its own against wine and beer - both of which are still written about endlessly. Over the 3 year period in which our it was fomenting, our ideas and opinions have become interwoven. I've been documenting Cider since 2004, and have come to know the scene warts n'all. As successful beer writer hailing from Yorkshire, Pete is slightly newer to it and so in a perfect position to challenge (my) established views and look at it with fresher eyes and a clearer voice. As such, both of our voices run throughout the book and its a great example of how specialisms can come together to create something unique.
My hope is that it brings Cider to a new audience, whilst providing a book that established cider enthusiasts can celebrate and introduce cider makers around the world to each other. As a subject, I hope it may hold its own against wine and beer - both of which are still written about endlessly. Over the 3 year period in which our it was fomenting, our ideas and opinions have become interwoven. I've been documenting Cider since 2004, and have come to know the scene warts n'all. As successful beer writer hailing from Yorkshire, Pete is slightly newer to it and so in a perfect position to challenge (my) established views and look at it with fresher eyes and a clearer voice. As such, both of our voices run throughout the book and its a great example of how specialisms can come together to create something unique.
Jointly published by Jacqui Small in London and Stirling in New York, the first edition will run to 12,000 hardback copies and its been stylishly designed by Robin Rout in L.A.
'World's Best Cider: Taste, Tradition and Terroir, from Somerset to Seattle' was released in US October 1st 2013.
Reviews:
Eric Asimov, New York Times
"excellent"
Henry Jeffreys, The Guardian "Best Drinks Books of 2013"
"You might even go as far as to describe Brown and Bradshaw as the [Hugh] Johnson and [Jancis] Robinson of cider... One gets the impression that cider is currently the most exciting drink in Britain and is only going to get better."
The Australian
Cider Snob
"the perfect team to attempt this hugely ambitious overview of the cider boom taking the world by storm, and they've pulled it off magnificently."
Western Daily Press
"serious, comprehensive yet eminently accessible...the ultimate, the pinnacle of cider writing…
"The overriding tone that we get from Pete Brown and Bill Bradshaw is one of affection - for cider, for tradition, and for the motley collection of cider makers past and present."
Buy it from you local bookshop or here.
Just recieved my copy yesterday (Nov 19th 2015) from Amazon.
ReplyDeleteAs the only Real cider pub in Japan it's great to see we stock a number of the ciders in the book & a lot of others we'd like to get our hands on. Thank you!