This time of year, there is nothing that says Autumn better than Mulled Cider.
Fall, it is now not too hot, and not too cold to enjoy some outdoor family FuN.
Taking a thermos of this hot beverage will add to the atmosphere of your outdoor enjoyment.
Ingredients:
1/2 Gallon of fresh, unfiltered apple cider (or make homemade apple cider from smooched cooked apples from your local orchard) I grow Granny Smith and Gala trees, so your backyard tree works fine too. ;-)
2 large oranges (one just for decoration)
15 cloves
4 sticks of cinnamon
15 allspice berries
1 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
7 pods of cardamon or (whole coriander seed)
1/4 C brown sugar
1 apple (optional)
Directions:
1. Pour the apple cider into a saucepan, cover, turn the stove-top to medium-high heat.
2. Use a vegetable peeler to peel one of the oranges, to also be used for for a garnish later. Insert half of the cloves into the peeled orange. (or just skip the fancy part and throw the cloves and a cut up orange, peel and all into the pot). Add the rest of the ingredients to the orange and pot. Keep covered and heat the mulled cider mixture to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes on low heat.
3. Use a fine mesh sieve to strain the hot mulled cider to catch the solid pieces of spices and orange.
4. If for adults, you can spike it if you like w: Bourbon, brandy or rum.
5. Serve hot. Add a cinnamon stick, orange peel, apple slice, or an orange wedge w several cloves poked into it for a garnish. (See picture of garnish).
