Although the weather has been lovely here in California, I have a feeling it's the usual pre-spring tease. Unfortunately in San Francisco, even if it's a beautiful day, at some fateful point in the afternoon the fog comes rolling in over the bay. On days when I arrive home freezing from the unexpectedly cold winds, I am always in the mood for a hot drink that warms me to the bones. A great alternative to tea is hot apple cider. A steaming cup is full of antioxidants and the fragrant spices will give your house a cozy smell. Use the best apple juice or apple cider you can find when you make this perfect cool afternoon treat. For the recipe,

Hot Apple Cider [1]
From Bella [2]
1/2 gallon apple juice or apple cider
2 cinnamon sticks
2 whole cloves
2 allspice berries or whole nutmeg
1/2 orange peel, cut into strips
1/2 lemon peel, cut into strips

1. Pour apple juice/cider into a large stainless steel pot (crock pots or slow cookers are best but not necessary).
2. Place spices and peels into a cheesecloth. Drop cheesecloth into apple juice/cider.
3. In a regular pot: heat to just short of a boil. In a crock pot: Heat for 2 hours.
4. Remove cheesecloth.
5. Once you are done, you can keep the stove-top on warm and have people ladle the apple cider straight from the pot.

Print recipe with images [2] | without images [2]