Fall is Here -- Spiced Apple Cider

Fall is Here -- Spiced Apple Cider

This is my 'Oh shit, how long has it been since I've posted?' post

Yeah, I know. It's been a while... we've been very busy over here! We're going to have some exciting news in the next couple of weeks, but until then I'll get back to some quick posts. As we all felt this morning in the Northeast, fall is finally here. This is easily my favorite time of year--pumpkin everything, squash is in season, the leaves are changing, giving us their amazing smell and crunch, and spiced apple cider. I remember calling it spiced apple spiders when I was a kid and had a speech impediment... but let's move on to a super easy recipe! 

If you can find it you can get a bag of mulling spice, but don't go out of your way looking for it. Definitely don't as someone that works at the supermarket where the mulling spice is because they will look at you like you have multiple heads... it seems no one knows what this stuff is actually called. Mulling spice consists of cinnamon, dried orange peel, clove, allspice, and star anise, and the ratio usually changes from company-to-company. Don't make the same mistake I did this past weekend and use a bag of mulling spice with the wrong ratio-- our spiced cider was too licoricey. Yes, skip the pre-made stuff, grab some cheese cloth, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, an orange, and a two liter bottle of fresh apple cider, hopefully fresh-pressed without preservatives. 

Mulling spice. Photo Via http://www.chadotea.com

Recipe:

• 2 liters of apple cider, fresh-pressed
• 3 cinnamon sticks, medium size
• 5 cloves, whole
• 5 allspice berries, whole
• 2 large orange peel segments
• Cheese cloth

You'll want to take all your dry spices and the orange peel and tie them in the cheese cloth like a homemade tea bag. Just take a peeler and peel the orange from top to bottom without any of the white rind--this is the easiest way to get the peel. Put your apple cider in a large pot, add the cheese cloth sachet, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for about five minutes, and serve. The longer you let the cider simmer, the more spice will get added, but it will never be overwhelmingly spicy and this ratio is perfect--notice I don't add any star anise, I'm not a huge fan. Keep the pot simmering for hours and your apartment/home will smell like all the best parts of fall.

Bonus time! Enjoy your newly made spiced apple cider in a mug with a shot or two of bourbon--it's the best alcohol to add. Drink it up hot for an amazing break from raking leaves. If you let the cider cool, don't throw it out; put it over ice with bourbon, sweet vermouth, and bitters for a wonderful fall Manhattan on the rocks. Not sure what bourbon to use? Get Bulleit (pronounced bullet)... it's easily the best for these cocktails. Enjoy!

- Adam from Tipped Mixology