Sarah Raven

Freshly pressed apple juice is really worth making. We have a juicer, which turns two apples into an extraordinarily good drink that bears little resemblance to the pasteurised filtered apple juice you find in the supermarket.

My favourite juice is apple with pineapple and lime – bright, sharp and delicious. If you want a sweet juice, choose Discovery or James Grieve or for something more tart, use a Russet or a mix of two – a sweet and a sour, such as Cox and Bramley. Try adding other things instead of the pineapple, such as watercress or rocket.

For a jug for 4:

• 600ml apple juice from Bramley and Cox apples
• 100ml pineapple juice
• Juice of 1 lemon or lime
• Crushed ice

Mix all the ingredients in a jug. If you’re not drinking it straight away, a little lemon or lime juice will stop the apple oxidising and turning brown so quickly.

For a refreshing home-pressed juice, with ginger and lime, try this recipe:

 Juice 1kg of apples with 15g fresh ginger and 20g fresh mint leaves. Add the juice of 1 lime and pour over crushed ice. This will need to be drunk immediately to avoid discolouration (though it can be kept in the fridge for a few days). 

This is perfect for a firework party, but is also delicious mixed with vodka for something a little stronger. A great recipe for using up Worcester, Katie or Bramley apples (if you like a sharp juice), or Jonagold, Gala or Cox's (for something sweeter).