Title: Mulled Cider - Ynec
Categories: Beverages Apple Cider Autumn Oct
Yield: 1 Quart

1	qt	Sweet apple cider (pure apple juice) or hard cider
1		4-inch cinnamon stick
1	ts	Allspice berries
1/2	ts	Whole cloves
PICK ONE OF THE BELOW
1		3-inch piece vanilla bean
1/2	ts	Cardamom seeds
2		4-inch x 1/2-inch lengths orange peel

Combine everything in a heavy, narrow pan that is impervious to acid. (Some Teflon-type coatings absorb odors, by the way. Be sure if you use one that it's been thoroughly cleaned, with baking soda if necessary.) Put the pan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, just until bubbles begin to rise around the edge. Serve at once, with or without rum, applejack, or bourbon to fuddle the senses further. This produces an agreeably spicy, still strongly Apple-flavored drink. If you want the spice flavor stronger, combine apple juice and spices an hour or so in advance of heating.

The tastier the cider, the fewer spices are needed, so there's no recipe that should be changed to suit the ingredients on hand. Cooking will change the flavor of both cider and spices, and long cooking will make the whole works taste stale. Be sure to make several small batches if your'e serving mulled cider over a long period or keep it warm over very low heat indeed.

_Yankee New England Cookbook_ Leslie Land, 1987. Wings Books. ISBN 0-517-05793-X. Typos by Jeff Pruett.

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