Wills' eye Cider makers were full of glee over the news that Prince William isn't a lager lad, but a cider drinker. The question on everyone lips is whether royal patronage will arrest the decline in cider sales. We can probably expect to see the National Association of Cider Makers milking Prince William's endorsement for all it's worth. It has started with these six facts that you probably didn't know about cider: l During the 14th century, children were baptised in cider (it was cleaner than the water) and, in the 18th century, part of a farm labourer's wages was paid in cider l In the 19th century, cider was held to be a cure for a wide range of ills, including gout, ailments of the urinary tract and rheumatic diseases and to be an effective and cleansing surgical dressing l Historical references to cider date back to 1230 and the drink is quoted in Chaucer (1406) l A July 2001 survey for Gaymer's Olde English Cyder established that 63% of people thought cider would be the perfect national drink for the English l The cider industry now uses 45% of all apples grown in the UK, pressing around 140,000 tonnes a year l More than 2 million new cider apple trees have been planted in the last six years Snifter would like to add a couple of his own: l "Yes, cider and tinned salmon are the staple diet of the agricultural classes" (Evelyn Waugh) l "Draught cider is a real loser's drink" (marketing consultant Austen McRoberts, speaking at an Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers' seminar last July).
