Commercial cider presses were begun to meet the local demand for cider-making. Family orchards and local fruit farms cover the land from the central counties of Pennsylvania on eastward. The apple drink is most often served cold, but in recent years it has become a well-liked hot drink, especially as winter comes and the cider season ends.

This thick, flavorful drink has become an additional reason for raising tomatoes. The fruit is a staple in the Amish diet, in many forms—sliced fresh, stewed, made into multiple baked dishes, and cooked into soup. This basic recipe is itself healthily versatile. It can be drunk as an appetizer or snack; it can form the basis of a well spiced soup.

To avoid dehydration for the farmhands during hot summer days in the field, cooks derived vinegar punch, soda water, and peppermint drink. The chemical combinations quenched thirsts more effectively than fruit drinks and eased stomachs threatened by the heat.