Homemade Apple Cider (& a change of plans)

Happy first day of October!!!

I feel like it’s finally fall! For reals. Because it’s cool and it’s cloudy.

Unfortunately, it was also very wet and rainy, so Seth and I weren’t able to go to a local apple orchard like we’d planned. I was so looking forward to walking Edgar through the pumpkin patch and splitting an apple cider doughnut with Seth (plus, all the Instagram photos ops? Hello! Live for them!).

Then, before we left we’d buy a few gallons of cider to drink and bake and cook with.

But alas, we’re not doing that today. Instead we’re going to buy flooring for the house and get a late lunch and finally go see a movie together (something we’ve never actually done on date nights).

So, if I’m going to drink mulled cider while I watch Hocus Pocus (because what other movie do you watch on October 1?!), I had to make my own. And it was so easy! I just cut up a ton of apples from Seth’s trees and put them in a pot with water, threw in a touch of sugar and some whole spices and let it simmer away for a few hours. It made the entire house smell magnificent!!! Like I was burning a dozen candles from Bath & Body Works, without the fire hazard. It was an easy way to keep those boxes/bags/bushels of apples we have from going to waste, too. After all, a girl can only make so many cakes.

So, if you need me I’ll be marveling at the cuteness of Thackery Binx and singing along with Bette.

Homemade Apple Cider

10 pounds of mixed apples, cored and cut into large pieces (leave the skins on)

½ cup brown sugar

6 3-inch pieces of cinnamon (or 3 6-inch pieces, however your store sells it)

1 star anise

1 whole nutmeg, broken into pieces

½ tsp. whole allspice

6 whole cloves

Peel from half an orange (I do this with a vegetable peeler)

Place all ingredients in the largest pot you have (like a stock pot or large Dutch oven) and fill with water until everything is just submerged. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce to simmer and leave uncovered for one hour, stirring occasionally to break up apples. Cover and simmer for two additional hours.

Pour cider into a fine mesh sieve placed over a large glass bowl (you may have to do this in batches, that’s ok!). Discard solids and pour through sieve once more and into large jars.

Wait until cider is fully cool to seal and place in fridge.

Reheat on stove and serve with cinnamon sticks.