(June 18, 2019)—Chelsea Green Publishing—Andy Brennan, “one of the most critically lauded cider-makers” in the country according to New York Magazine, shares his meditations on artisanship, craft, apples, and modern society in his new memoir Uncultivated.
Known for their hardiness, adaptability, natural diversity, and plentiful bounty, wild apples can be truly called “America’s fruit.” They are not the familiar commercial varieties that rely on human intervention and can still be found in the fields and woodland edges surrounding old abandoned farms and homesteads. Wild apple trees—known as pippins—have nearly vanished from the American agricultural landscape, along with their bittersweet complexities, nuances of flavor, and the fine ciders they produce. Now Andy Brennan, founder of Aaron Burr Cidery in the Catskills region of New York, is one of the leading voices making a case for their return.
In his new book, Uncultivated: Wild Apples, Real Cider, and the Complicated Art of Making a Living, Brennan’s hero is the tenacious wild apple. In candid and philosophical prose, he shares his decades-long experience working with naturalized trees—from discovering new tastes and textures to understanding how the wild apple tree guided him toward a successful, environmentally conscious business. At the heart of his story is Brennan’s faith in nature and its unfailing ability to deliver us from our own mistakes.
“A darling of in-the-know sommeliers, iconoclastic cider-maker Andy Brennan forages for wild apples around his Catskills home to make exquisite, edgy ciders.”—The Washington Post
“Brennan is stubborn, thoughtful original, and his apple memoir is powered by inspiring verve and irreverence. Loving apples is not a prerequisite for loving this book.”—Alice Feiring, author of Naked Wine
Andy Brennan is the owner of Aaron Burr Cidery and supplies cider to some of Manhattan’s most popular restaurants, including Eleven Madison Park and the Gramercy Tavern. He has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in the New York Times, Wine Enthusiast magazine, and numerous other publications.
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Uncultivated by Andy Brennan
Food & Beverage / Sustainable Agriculture / Small Business
$24.95 US / $ 32.95 CAN / £19.99 UK
Hardcover / 6 x 9 / 288 pages
Black and white illustrations throughout
ISBN: 978-160358-844-7
On-Sale Date: June 17, 2019 (US/CAN)
ABOUT CHELSEA GREEN PUBLISHING
Chelsea Green Publishing is an employee-owned global publishing house with offices in the UK and US and a leading publisher of books on the politics and practice of sustainable living. Founded in 1984, our books share new ideas on organic farming and gardening, alternative and regenerative agriculture, renewable energy, environmental stewardship and activism, sustainable economy, health and wellness, politics and public policy, and more.
For more info, visit www.chelseagreen.com, follow @chelseagreen on Twitter or at Instagram and Facebook.
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