Mulled Cider Recipe

MMMM... just looking at this picture makes my nose twitch with the smell of simmering cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom. Really, someone should bottle that smell as a candle fragrance, Oh wait, that's right, it's already been done. Every Christmas, as we sell Christmas trees, I have put out a hotpot of my hot spiced cider. Not only does it make the store smell amazing, customers have told me that they come back every year just for my cider! I tell them it is an old family recipe but then I ruin it by laughing - I don't think I ever had anything but a package poured into hot water when I was growing up. Here is my tried and true recipe for you mulled cider folks - enjoy!

MULLING SPICE RECIPE
1 TBSP Cinnamon chips ( or a 3"stick)
1 TBSP Coriander
1 TBSP Cardamom
2 TBSP Cloves
2 TBSP Allspice berries
2 TBSP Orange Peel ,dried (or the rind of 1/4 fresh orange)
1 whole Nutmeg, crushed
 Mix above ingredients well. For one gallon of apple cider, I put about two tablespoons in a cheesecloth scrap tied with a twist tie that I have removed the paper from. If you have a 2 1/2 " tea ball infuser fill as full as possible and place in the pot of cider instead of the cheesecloth. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of dark brown sugar and stir. The dark brown sugar is very necessary to give the cider that richness. Simmer the cider for at least an hour, more simmering produces more strong flavor.
Jennifer adds some other ideas on how to spice up your favorite beverage-
SMOKING BISHOP                                                          
Mix one bottle of port with one bottle of red wine                
( instead of apple cider)                                                         
Use above mulling spice and simmer.
GERMAN CIDER
Mix 4C white wine with 4 C apple cider
(instead of only cider)
Use above mulling spice and simmer.