HOT APPLE CIDER

Once you have been invited to a home where hot apple cider has been brewing, you never forget the welcoming aroma. This hot spicy brew may be made ahead of time and poured into thermos bottles to take on fun ski trips. When looking for allspice, it is helpful to note its large peppercorn shape. Allspice is also called Jamaican pepper, as it grows on a Jamaican evergreen tree and tastes like a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

    1 gallon apple cider
    4 cinnamon sticks, broken
    1 tablespoon dried orange peel
    6 whole cloves
    4 whole allspice
    4 orange slices
    2 pieces crystallized ginger

1.  Heat the gallon of apple cider in a stock pot until simmering.

2.  Place the cinnamon, peel, cloves and allspice in a mesh bag
     or tea infuser, float in the cider.

3.  Pour the spiced cider into a 6-quart crockery cooker, which
     has been set on low heat.

4.  Add orange slices and ginger before serving.

5.  Refrigerate any leftovers. This can be re-heated in the
     microwave for individual servings.

     Hint: Save the gallon cider container to store spiced cider.

     Fills one 6-quart crockery cooker