I think I’ve said before that one of the things I really love about living here is the availability of such great juices. You can get a “mocktail” that is out of this world. Lemon/mint juice anyone? Fresh pineapple and watermelon spritzer? Yes please! Oh, I get off subject. My point is that most juices are fresh tasting, including apple juice. Even the bottled stuff tastes like freshly juiced apples. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to push Mott’s off on my kids again.
One of my favorite things about fall is when the apple cider starts appearing on shelves. Well, I haven’t seen any here yet, but I figured I could make my own and it would probably be better than any mass-produced-store-bought-variety with the great quality of the apple juice here. And it was.
My husband and I sipped this while trimming our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving, as is our tradition. We decided to bite the bullet this year and buy our first fake real-pine-challenged tree. Even though I miss the smell of a real tree, it is nice not to have to water/vacuum everyday. I must say, it looks pretty real too (especially after a few boozy ciders!)
Boozy Mulled Apple Cider
Ingredients:
6 cups apple juice (I would buy the organic stuff, since it usually tastes more like apple and has less “fillers”)
2 cinnamon sticks
3 tablespoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 cup whisky (we used Johnny Walker, but booze is totally optional. It was really good without too.)
Preparation
Combine everything except for the booze in a slow cooker or pressure cooker. Cook for 6 hours in a slow cooker on low, or 1 hour in a pressure cooker on high. Strain the liquid. To serve, put 2-3 oz at the bottom of a mug. Top with the cider and enjoy!
Mom de Cuisine 