A tasting of several hard ciders not long ago got me thinking about how to cook with them. Bottled hard ciders, once the favored drink of the Colonies, have enjoyed a resurgence in recent years. Whether mass-produced or small-batch artisanal, the bottles have been muscling their way onto store shelves.To put the appley drink to work in the kitchen, a simple approach would be to reduce it, then sauce a meat dish. And what meat goes better with the flavor of apples than pork?A little thinking (why not some sliced dried apples too?), a little tinkering (a touch of whipping cream would enhance the body) and dinner was born. Look for drier or sweeter hard ciders as suits your taste. Either would work well here. Serve with steamed kale sautéed with a little garlic.Tips:• Switch the flavor by subbing in hard pear cider and dried pears.• Although we use chops, this approach would work well for pork tenderloin or pork loin as well.Beverage suggestion:A hard cider will pair nicely; look for drier versions from small-batch American makers or traditional versions from Normandy, France.

PORK CHOPS WITH CIDER AND APPLES—Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil4 center-cut boneless pork chops (6-7 ounces each)3/4 teaspoon salt, dividedFreshly ground pepper2 shallots, minced2 cups hard or sweet cider1 cup dried apple slices3 tablespoons whipping cream2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard

Procedure:1. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; season chops with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cook chops in skillet, turning once, until browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from skillet.2. Add shallots to skillet; cook over medium heat until translucent, 2 minutes. Add cider; bring to a simmer. Add apple slices; cook until apples are soft and cider is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Stir in cream, mustard and remaining salt; cook until slightly thickened. Taste sauce for seasoning. Return chops to skillet; heat until cooked through.Nutrition data per serving: 441 calories, 46 percent of calories from fat, 23 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 105 mg cholesterol, 31 g carbohydrates, 28 g protein, 729 mg sodium, 2 g fiber

Laurie Derickson with her daughter, the inspiration for Marili Jean Accessories. Photo by KEVIN KRECK, THE GAZETTE