AUGUSTA, Mo. - Here's a thought: What if, instead of biting into the apple Eve waved under his nose, Adam had snatched it from her manipulative fingers, squeezed out the juice and made himself a leaf full of cider? The whole history of the world may have changed.

Oh, well. It probably doesn't matter because cider is and shall remain a popular drink without Adam's help. Historical records show that its consumption dates back several thousand years. No less a figure than Julius Caesar is said to have downed a keg of cider during his invasion of England in 55 B.C.

In some areas, cider made the old-fashioned way is rather difficult to come by.

Sure, you can buy clear, mass-produced apple juice from the corner supermarket, but it is a far cry from the light brown, cloudy, pulp-filled liquid found at roadside stands and local operations.

One of these is Centennial Farms in Augusta, Mo., where Bob and Ellen Knoernschild work the 70-acres that have been in their family for 150 years.

When the seasons for peaches, blackberries, raspberries and vegetables have passed, the couple can depend on the apple season, which has just begun, to see them through.

"Our big seller right now is the cider that we make in batches of 100 gallons at a time by my husband and his crew," said Ellen - who, when we met, was dressed in a beekeeper's uniform complete with gloves, hat and veil. She was presenting a history of bees to hordes of wide-eyed preschoolers and first-graders who were visiting for the day.

Afterwards, the youngsters were carted off amid bales of hay to pick their own apples, with the admonishment that they not touch any fruit that had fallen to the ground. The same rule applies to the cider-making.

"Those apples are just thrown away," she explained, "because we consider them very unsafe. The best of the lot is sold in our market, and the small or blemished fruit is made into apple butter or cider."

Until the cider-making begins, the apples are loaded into crates and stored in a room-size freezer that maintains a temperature of 32 degrees. When sorting time comes, a machine does the work of separating them into three sizes.

Low-grade apples headed for the cider bin are dipped into a disinfecting solution, followed by a good washing and brushing before being loaded onto a conveyor belt to be crushed and juiced. Then the juice is strained and pumped into a refrigerated, stainless-steel tank. Here, the cider is stored just above freezing for two days or so until piped into jugs. No other ingredients are added, but great care is taken in the entire process.

Most visitors will not see all 24 varieties of apples grown on the farm - including Winesap, Jonathan, Red and Gold Delicious, Empire, Fuji, Gala and Ozark Gold - because the acreage is rather far-flung. Centennial cider is never made from one or two varieties, but from a mix of sweet and tart apples that makes for a more interesting and complex flavor.

The very cloudiness and pulp that result in a fresh, apple taste are due to the fact that this type of cider is unpasteurized. The Food and Drug Administration is concerned that it may contain harmful bacteria from birds, rodents, insects or poor worker hygiene, which could cause illness in the elderly or in children.

"We are also concerned," Ellen Knoernschild said. "Although our cider is not pasteurized, we strictly follow instructions as set down by the FDA. No manure or compost is used in our orchards. And the cider only comes into contact with stainless steel and food-grade plastic. There is no contact with wood, which cannot be sanitized.

"Most people are used to the clear, pasteurized cider that will keep longer, but I don't think it has that real apple flavor," she continued. "One farm had some problems with E. coli contamination, so we suggest that small children not drink cider unless it is heated.

"You know, if you don't refrigerate cider, eventually, it will turn into vinegar."

While cider is a refreshing drink and cider vinegar has been long touted as a cure for a number of ailments, both can give a boost to a variety of dishes, including the recipes that are part of this story.

1 cup fresh apple cider½ teaspoon whole fennel seeds, crushed½ teaspoon ground coriander seeds½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger2 pounds red snapper filletsPour the cider into a medium frying pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add fennel, coriander and ginger; reduce heat to medium low. Simmer liquid for five minutes, and then place fillets in pan.Be sure the fish is covered with liquid; add more cider if necessary. Simmer for 15 minutes or until center of each fillet flakes when touched with a fork. Serve at once.Makes four servings.Adapted from "The Cider Book," by Lila Gault and Betsy Seastrap (Madrona Publishers, 1980).

2 cups dried white navy beans (see note)1 1/3cups apple cider, boiling1 small onion, diced¼ cup molasses8 teaspoons Dijon mustard2 tablespoons tomato paste½ teaspoon salt2 teaspoons ground black pepper2 teaspoons dried thyme1 small bay leaf1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar4 teaspoons soy saucePour beans in a single layer onto a countertop or other flat surface. Pick out and discard rocks, dirt, off-colored and broken beans. Wash beans in two changes of cold water. Transfer to a bowl; cover with 3 inches of water. Let beans soak eight to 10 hours.Quick soak method:Pour cleaned beans into a pot; cover with 3 inches of cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 10 minutes, turn heat off and let stand for 2 hours or more.Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Drain beans, reserving liquid. Bring liquid to a boil in a saucepan. In another saucepan, bring cider to a boil.Pour beans into a deep, ovenproof casserole or bean pot. Add onion, molasses, mustard, tomato paste, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf, vinegar, soy sauce and boiling cider.Add enough boiled bean water to cover beans. Cover the casserole with foil or a lid. Bake six hours or until tender, adding a little more water if necessary after three hours of baking.Makes six servings.Adapted from a University of Illinois Extension recipe, posted at www.urbanext.uiuc.edu.

1 (2½- to 3½-pound) chicken, cut into serving piecescup apple cider1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar4 large sprigs fresh parsley, finely chopped3 cloves garlic, chopped½ cup heavy creamSaltFreshly ground black pepperHot cooked ricePreheat the oven to 375 degrees.Wash chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Pour cider and vinegar into a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan that can go from oven to stovetop.In a small bowl, combine parsley and garlic. Sprinkle half the mixture in prepared pan. Arrange chicken in pan; top with remaining parsley and garlic. Cover pan with foil, sealing edges. Bake for 40 minutes, turning chicken pieces once or twice. Remove foil for last five minutes of cooking.Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Place pan on a stovetop burner. Add cream; bring to a simmer over low to medium heat, stirring and scraping the bottom to release the browned bits in the pan. Simmer over low heat until sauce begins to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve sauce over chicken and rice.Makes three to four servings.Adapted from "The Cider Book," by Lila Gault and Betsy Sestrap (Madrona Publishers, 1980).

Pastry for 1 (9-inch) double-crust pie1 cup granulated sugar1 dash salt3 tablespoons cornstarch½ cup apple cider, boiled and cooled1 egg; beaten1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine1½ cups boiling water2 cups thinly sliced applesPreheat the oven to 425 degrees.Roll out half the dough; fit into a 9-inch pie pan. Roll out the remaining dough; set aside.In a large bowl, combine sugar, salt and cornstarch. Stir in cider; blend well. Stir in egg and melted butter. Stir in boiling water.Spoon apples into pie pan. Pour cider mixture over apples. Cover with the top crust; crimp and seal edges, cutting a couple of slashes in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool to a warm temperature before serving.Makes six to eight servings.Adapted from a recipe by Ruth Kerr, posted on www.completerecipes.com.