The Mont-Saint-Michel is not the only heritage that Normans and Bretons fight over. If the abbey was officially attributed to the Normans in 1009, for cider, it's another story!
The Mont-Saint-Michel is not the only heritage that Normans and Bretons fight over. If the abbey was officially attributed to the Normans in 1009, for cider, it's another story!
To identify the origin of cider, an alcoholic acidulous beverage resulting from the fermentation of apple juice and sugar, you have to go back to Antiquity! Even then, the Hebrews and Greeks made a similar beverage from apple pieces cooked with honey.
From the Mediterranean basin to the coasts of Brittany or Normandy: the road is long and full of obstacles! According to legend, cider made a stopover in the Basque Country during the Gallo-Roman period. Basque sailors, known to be less sick at sea than others, are said to have praised the merits of cider as a remedy for scurvy and sold it to Norman and Breton sailors.
Nevertheless, the first writings testifying to the existence of cider in Normandy and the Basque Country date back to more or less the same period (11th century).
If according to history, neither the Normans nor the Bretons can take credit for having created the recipe, its reputation remains very French! Indeed, France is the world's leading producer and consumer of cider (with a slight superiority of the Normans over the Bretons in terms of consumption!).
If you are passing through Normandy or Brittany, don't hesitate for a second and try this famous recipe based on apple juice. Our great advice, taste the fruity cider with spices (cinnamon) and citrus fruits, a delight full of aromas. It is said that drinking cider eliminates toxins from the body...
Thirsty to learn other things about French drinks?
- The Goudale brewery
- The Muscadet
- The Absinthe of Montmartre
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Auxane from Comme des Français
