Mark Diacono – Mulled Cider
Few things welcome in the frosts like mulled cider. As with punch, mulled cider has been much abused: at its finest, the spices build on the fabulous appley-ness of cider; at its worst, the cider is swamped by a wash of pot pourri. The key is to use good cider and fresh spices, and don’t over-sweeten. Honey’s warmth works better than sugar in my view.
Makes one relaxing goblet – multiply up for the bucketful that Halloween and Bonfire night deserve.
- 250ml dry cider
- 1 cloves
- 1 star anise
- 2 allspice berries
- 2-3 leaves of lemon verbena, optional
- a good grating of nutmeg
- 4-5cm cinnamon stick
- a few inches of lemon zest
- a tsp or 2 of honey
Add the cider to a pan, along with all the other ingredients other than the honey. Turn up the heat and simmer for 8 minutes or so.
Turn off the heat. Taste and stir in a little honey if you think it needs it. Serve immediately.