Elementary and Practical Guide to the Making of Cider and Perry (Facsimile Reproduction of the 1889 Edition)

Known since Antiquity by peoples such as the Hebrews, Egyptians, or Greeks, cider is believed to have made its appearance in France in the Middle Ages, experiencing a real boom thanks to the invention of the press in the 12th century. As for perry, although it appeared around the same time, it spread more slowly due to the difficulty of producing it because of the complexity of pear cultivation.

A popular beverage, once called "apple wine," cider, although still emblematic of Brittany and Normandy, is now produced and consumed in many regions of France.

Passionate about agriculture, P.-J. Lefèvre aims to participate in the transmission of ancestral knowledge, that of apple and pear tree cultivation for the making of cider and perry, knowledge that belongs as much to the richness of our heritage as to that of our local traditions. However, he can only observe and lament the lack of method and result, as family and artisanal cider, according to him, is most often comparable to bad vinegar "which frequently causes stomach aches and intestinal pains to those who continually consume it without suspecting the cause."

A former schoolteacher, P.-J. Lefèvre has therefore conceived a didactic, simple, and accessible book. This Elementary and Practical Guide for the Manufacture of Cider and Perry is presented in two parts.

• The first part clearly and concisely explains the processes of making cider and perry.
• The second part is dedicated to the cultivation of apple and pear trees and includes a list of apple and pear species best suited for making these traditional beverages.

His works, the result of expertise forged by experience and enriched by the advice of artisans, convey the author’s strong desire to enable everyone to produce good quality cider or perry.

Encouraged by the scientific associations of the time in the realization of this book, P.-J. Lefèvre saw his work rewarded with the vermeil medal at the Le Havre Maritime Exhibition.

This book, reprinted in facsimile by Hachette-BnF, is identical to the original 1889 publication preserved at the National Library of France.