Spiced Apple Cider

For this Lughnasadh, I decided to try and make some sort of drink for my ritual and not just something to eat. I have to admit that it wasn't easy making this drink since I modified the recipe I found along the way, but I believe that it will be much easier for you since you have the modified recipe in this post. :)

You Will Need:

(for 1 liter of cider)

• 7 apples (the yellow, sweet kind like in the picture)
• 1 orange
• 1 lemon
• 1 spoon sugar
• 5 cloves
• 1 tsp powdered cinnamon
• 1/2 (half) tsp nutmeg
• 6 dcl water
• half a cup of rum

How to Prepare:

1. Clean all the apples and cut them up into four parts taking care to remove the stem and the middle part with the seeds (as shown in the picture). Keep the peel on.
2. Use a multipractic blender (or some other sort of kitchen blender) to grind the apples into a paste and then transfer it into a larger pot preferably with a long handle (it will make it easier to filter the mixture later if you have a handle).
3. Add orange and lemon juice as well as the cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. I advise you to mix this all in well using a hand blender such as this one in order to get rid of any left-over clots.
4. Put the pot on the stove and heat the mixture up over a small fire, stirring it gently.
5. When the mixture has warmed up nicely, add the cloves and continue to stir. Give the mixture enough time to take in the clove's aroma.
6. Add water and continue stirring.
7. Once the mixture is nice and hot, add the rum. Mix only for a few more seconds and turn of the stove so the alcohol doesn't evaporate.
8. Let the mixture cool down and when you think it's cool enough, filter it through a cheesecloth (I used a sieve) into another pot or directly into a clean bottle. I recommend you use a whisk or spoon to push as much juice through the sieve as you can. 
9. Keep the bottle in the fridge so the cider doesn't go bad.
10. Enjoy! :D

Just to prove that one liter of cider really did come out of this quantity of ingredients, here's a photo. Keep in mind that I tasted the cider every now and then so some of it was lost by the time I took this picture, so expect your bottle to be slightly more full than mine.

The good thing about this cider is that it isn't strong liquor but rather a juice with a bit of rum in it (although you can add as much rum as you wish). If you follow this recipe, you won't be able to easily get drunk off this cider and that is why it's a great drink for ritual use.

I hope you will enjoy making it as well as drinking it with your loved ones.

Until next time. Yours,

Witch's Cat