Last year I discovered Mulled Wine at Borough Market in London, this year I have fallen in love with spiced apple cider. I understand that in America and Canada, apple cider is non-alcoholic, unfiltered, unsweetened drink but in the UK apple cider is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. If you are using the non-alcoholic cider and you want to give it a kick add some rum to get the party started. 
When I made this apple cider last weekend it made the kitchen smell of Christmas. Immediately the emotions hit, I got excited, felt warm and cozy and I had to share the experience with my sister. We develop our sense of smell before any other, even before birth we can smell, which indicates how important the ability to smell is. For foodies we must appreciate the sense of smell because although we “eat with our eyes”, 75-95% of flavour in food is derived from how the food smells. Our sense of smell is the most sensitive of our senses, which makes it easy to understand why this sense is most linked to our emotional recollection. Let the long-lasting memories of Christmas festivities begin with this recipe for apple cider.
My niece wanted to help in the kitchen even if it wasn’t for long
- 2 Braeburn apple
- 1 tsp cloves
- 500 ml apple cider (alcoholic)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/8 cup Amaretto
- Stick the cloves into the apples.
- In a pot put all the ingredients except the Amaretto and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the Amaretto and serve hot.
