2014 Seminars

Free to attend! Located under the “seminars” tent.

1:30PM – Not Your Ordinary Apples
Presented by: Hank Frecon, President of Frecon’s Cidery

There are 7,500 varieties of apples grown throughout the world and 2,500 varieties of apples grown in the United States. Which ones are used to make your hard cider? Learn about the various types of apples that go into hard cider through an interactive tasting and educational program. You’ll have the opportunity to try a select number of apple varieties and compare/contrast them. How does a “cider” apple differ from a “dessert” apple that you typically find in a grocery store? During this presentation, you will have the ability to taste the varieties of apples talked about during the program.

About Hank Frecon:
Hank Frecon, a former technology executive in the media and entertainment industry, has his roots firmly planted in the apple and tree fruit industry. Growing up in the third generation of the family farm in Boyertown, Pennsylvania; Hank, like all his siblings worked in varying roles throughout his development years. Ultimately, leaving the farm for college life he later worked his way up the various ladders of the internet technology business and then the broadcast technology business. Upon seeing a need to continue the Frecon tradition of growing apples, he and his brother, Steve, decided to live a double life working in both the technology business and the farm. The two ultimately founded Frecon Farms an extension of the farm that focused on expanding the retail and direct marketing side of the business.

By relying on his developmental roots, his leadership record driving market share in the technology business, and personal affinity for quality fermented products; he led the start-up of Frecon’s Cidery in 2008 with the goal of building an estate cidery, whose fermented beverages relied 100% on the fruit grown by his father and mast grower, Henry Frecon. Combining the fermentation talents of his high school friend, Jamie Bock, his brother’s sales and operational knowledge, and the marketing talent of his brother-in-law Josh Smith, Frecon’s Cidery is rapidly becoming one of the premier cider producers in the emerging Pennsylvania cider industry.

Most recently, Hank and his crew have started the Boyertown nano-brewery known as The Other Farm Brewing Company.

2:45PM – Ciders vs. Cysers: Cider’s Honeyed Cousin
Presented by: Kyle Sherrer, Co-Owner & Fermentologist at Millstone Cellars

Join Millstone Cellars for an exploration into an off-shoot style of hard cider that is a cider/mead hybrid called “cyser.” Learn what it is, how it is made, various styles, and why you’ll be seeing more of it soon.

About Kyle Sherrer:
Kyle Sherrer is the Co-Owner and Fermentologist at Millstone Cellars, an American Farmhouse Cidery, located in Monkton, Maryland, that focuses on crafting oak barrel aged, dry, rustic ciders, ciders and meads. Kyle and his father, Co-Owner Curt Sherrer, have spent the last decade, experimenting and refining hard cider and mead making techniques using Old World methods. Part of the Millstone approach to cider is working closely with local farmers within a 150 mile radius to ensure the highest levels of quality and freshness for their ingredients.

Kyle has a background in finance which he studied in college. He also takes care of all the business and marketing for Millstone.

4:00PM – Gluten Free Cooking with Cider
Presented by: Dana Martin of ABC Gluten Free

For many, learning to cook gluten-free is a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be an insurmountable one. Armed with accurate information and a hefty dash of patience, even the beginner cook can adapt most recipes to yield delicious gluten-free meals and snacks. Join Chef Dana Martin of ABC Gluten Free for a special gluten-free cooking demonstration with cider! Chef Dana will utilize her restaurant background to deliver a delicious gluten-free dish, crafted from Crispin cider with a touch of Italian and a lot of love. Recipes will be posted after the event.

About Dana Martin:
Dana grew up in the restaurant business and cooked for many people that she never knew, some were kind and some not so much. It was her family’s business and they all worked together and loved it. However, after major family illnesses and the devastating deaths of her brother and father, the family decided to close the four family businesses they had. Dana no longer had a desire to cook, or to have a restaurant anymore. She struggled to find her love to cook again and only had a small family to cook for. She sometimes felt cooking was very mundane and she asked God to bless her with a love of cooking for others once more.

She saw many young moms, newlyweds, elderly, new families and sick people struggle with food. She saw them struggle to eat healthy, find new recipes, and manage their meals and habits. Dana always remembers her father telling her though that all of her talent and love of cooking couldn’t be wasted. She watched her mother cook for the ones she loved every day and she knew that it was her “love language,” and so it became Dana’s as well.

Dana sought to help people conquer their fear of cooking, making excuses for eating out or eating unhealthy, and helped them with any food allergies they have. This goal along with her combined love of people and cooking fostered the growth of the program Kitchen Angel which led to Dana’s cooking show, ABC Gluten Free. Dana wants people to see that as the chef in Ratatouille says, “anyone can cook;” and anyone can cook healthy, delicious meals – even gluten free!

Dana has now been helping people with allergies for 20+ years. She even helps herself since she utilizes the information she shares with others to cook meals she needs to deal with Hashimoto’s disease which she was diagnosed with after her last open heart surgery and thyroid failing. After only three weeks of gluten-free eating, as suggested by Dana’s doctor, her thyroid started working perfectly again and her blood work was wonderful.

Dana’s gluten-free journey continues since her entire family has been gluten free in support of her and how wonderful Dana felt after the effects. She has had a long journey to this part of her life and through many tragedies and losses she has been determined to help others live life and live it deliciously. ABC Gluten Free was sarted in order to ease people going gluten-free, helping them to make delicious gluten-free foods. On the show, she cooks with her two children, Jeremiah (12) and Sophia (7).

 

Click here for a list of seminars from the 2013 Pour The Core: Philly event.