A "scratter" is a device for mashing up apples prior to pressing them, to make it possible to extract juice from them. Commonly they are as simple as a wooden drum with large nails sticking into it, which is rotated by a handle, the whole assembly being contained in a box structure - the apples go in the box at the top, are mashed up by the nail ends and drop out the bottom. Often this was automated with a band coming from a tractor engine.
 

"Ciderland" - James Crowden.
 
Beautiful celebration of cider - Radio 4
 
This afternoon on Radio 4 during a fascinating discourse on the history of cider making, I was delighted to discover that the "Champagne" method of producing fizzy wine, was actually first perfected by West Country cider makers!
 

This book is an excellent primer for anyone wanting to start producing their own cider on a small scale. Starting with a look at apple varieties and the history of cidermaking, its next step is to show you how to build your own cider press! Then it takes you through the processing of apples into juice. The authors seem very fastidious, recommending quartering the apples and cutting out any rotten bits; sounds like a good way to make great cider, despite being somewhat time consuming

This recipe boasts a "local" salad - but it's only local if you're in Tasmania.
 
For the rest of us, though, this still looks like a lovely dish: Rabbit baked in cider

This looks like a great cider-based recipe. I must admit I'd be tempted to add a tablespoon of double cream to the sauce at the end, or else the yolk of an egg (which is a great sauce thickener, but be careful not to scramble it! Keep the heat low).
 
Fish Poached in Cider, from the Rush Hour Gourmet

During our excursion giving away cider at Glastonbury's apple day we noticed something. Somerset men like it dry. Generally the ladies prefer it a little sweeter, but in this neck of the woods even a medium dry is a little sweeter.
 

 
We CiderPunks have often maintained that artisan cider is good for you, but it's a tongue in cheek claim we don't take seriously. However, take a quick look at Wikipedia's Cider page and you'll see an interesting claim to the health benefits of cider:

The crew here at CiderPunk.com applaud the Yorkshire man who, faced with a surfeit of apples on local trees and inspired by TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, decided that the best thing he could do would be to start a club to make cider and perry from the local apples and pears
 
Good on you, Paul Cockroft, we hope you have a lot of luck attracting members to the worthy cause of creating the magic golden juice. And when you have some product, be sure to remember to send us a drop!

So you've got a hankering to make your own cider? Well first of all you need lots of apples. If you want a nondescript brew you can use any apples, but perhaps you'd better first take a look at some cider recipes to get some ideas.

Next, you can follow Tom Putt's guide to making scrumpy cider to get the low down on the actual process.