Hot Apple Cider

Ingredients

• 6 cups apple cider

• 1/4 cup real maple syrup

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 6 whole cloves

• 6 whole allspice berries

• 1 orange peel, cut into strips

• 1 lemon peel, cut into strips

Directions

1. Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan.

2. Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in the center of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string. Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture.

3. Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling.

4. Remove the cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh cinnamon stick to each serving if desired.

This is PHENOMINAL! Just perfectly delicious. I just added one thing which is an old trick I recently learned from a New York State apple farmer who's family has been making hot cider for 150 or so years. Thinly slice and or chop up some McIntosh apples including the peel into small pieces and drop a small bunch of the apple pieces into each cup of hot cider just before serving