Fall is coming....can you feel it?I can!
(and so can everyone, in one way or another.)
I often think back to living in the Phoenix area this time of year. With such an INTENSE personal adoration for changing seasons, I was always disappointed not to feel a natural chill in the air SOMETIME in September. Our air conditioner usually stayed on until early November, and there was one year in particular that Hayden couldn't wear his Halloween costume because it was just too hot! (For the love!)
After spending so much of my life in places like the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, the Tetons of Idaho, the Wasatch of Utah (lots of snowboarding), and the French-Canadian countryside (hello....changing maple leaves), I was devastated not to be able to bring out the sweaters for a chilly evening walk...even if we WERE in Arizona.
Tired of waiting for something I knew wouldn't come, I took it upon myself every year to bring the changing seasons to my home (since the WEATHER wasn't helping at ALL)! I quickly got to work every September, religiously bringing out the pumpkins and fall garland. I filled the house with the aroma of buring candles, meant to mimick the smells of apple cider, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie. I even turned the air down extra low, just for a little chill. If someone got too cold, I told them to either wear a sweater or open the door and step out into the sunshine for a minute. I was DETERMINED to have a chill!
Little did I know NOT ALL of Arizona is like that!
And so, here we are, in an area of the Desert Southwest that gets chilly in September and is loaded with water (hence all the farming)! Who knew?
As I sit here in a sweatshirt enjoying the daily 50-degree morning temps, I've decided to pass along a tasty, fall-inviting recipe in celebration of the impending holidays. I'd like to especially dedicate this to my friends still living in the Phoenix area (or any of you living anywhere else that still reaches 90-degrees or above during the day). My message to you is crank down the air, make this drink, sit back and think of pumpkin patches, dry corn fields and changing leaves.
Everyone else can just drink it and savor the sweet, simple things of life!
This recipe might LOOK complicated at first glance (because it mentions cheesecloth) but it's REALLY okay AND, it tastes AMAZING! I will add some simpler (non-cheesecloth) variations at the end, too. (Of course, you can just BUY a ready-mix package of spiced cider, but isn't it fun to just try making it yourself at least once? Plus, if nothing else, your family and friends will be impressed...and don't we all secretly want to be impressive once in a while?) Go ahead, give yourself a pat on the back...you deserve it!
I often think back to living in the Phoenix area this time of year. With such an INTENSE personal adoration for changing seasons, I was always disappointed not to feel a natural chill in the air SOMETIME in September. Our air conditioner usually stayed on until early November, and there was one year in particular that Hayden couldn't wear his Halloween costume because it was just too hot! (For the love!)
After spending so much of my life in places like the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, the Tetons of Idaho, the Wasatch of Utah (lots of snowboarding), and the French-Canadian countryside (hello....changing maple leaves), I was devastated not to be able to bring out the sweaters for a chilly evening walk...even if we WERE in Arizona.
Tired of waiting for something I knew wouldn't come, I took it upon myself every year to bring the changing seasons to my home (since the WEATHER wasn't helping at ALL)! I quickly got to work every September, religiously bringing out the pumpkins and fall garland. I filled the house with the aroma of buring candles, meant to mimick the smells of apple cider, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie. I even turned the air down extra low, just for a little chill. If someone got too cold, I told them to either wear a sweater or open the door and step out into the sunshine for a minute. I was DETERMINED to have a chill!
Little did I know NOT ALL of Arizona is like that!
And so, here we are, in an area of the Desert Southwest that gets chilly in September and is loaded with water (hence all the farming)! Who knew?
As I sit here in a sweatshirt enjoying the daily 50-degree morning temps, I've decided to pass along a tasty, fall-inviting recipe in celebration of the impending holidays. I'd like to especially dedicate this to my friends still living in the Phoenix area (or any of you living anywhere else that still reaches 90-degrees or above during the day). My message to you is crank down the air, make this drink, sit back and think of pumpkin patches, dry corn fields and changing leaves.
Everyone else can just drink it and savor the sweet, simple things of life!
This recipe might LOOK complicated at first glance (because it mentions cheesecloth) but it's REALLY okay AND, it tastes AMAZING! I will add some simpler (non-cheesecloth) variations at the end, too. (Of course, you can just BUY a ready-mix package of spiced cider, but isn't it fun to just try making it yourself at least once? Plus, if nothing else, your family and friends will be impressed...and don't we all secretly want to be impressive once in a while?) Go ahead, give yourself a pat on the back...you deserve it!
*(For more recipes, click on the recipe link at the end of this post OR the link on the left of the page, under "shortcuts".)
* * *
HOT SPICED APPLE CIDER
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
6 Cups APPLE CIDER
1/4 Cup REAL MAPLE SYRUP (a little more is okay)
2 CINNAMIN STICKS* (plus 6-see directions)
6 whole CLOVES
6 whole ALLSPICE BERRIES* (see notes below)
1 ORANGE PEEL, cut into strips
1 LEMON PEEL, cut into strips
Directions:
- Pour the APPLE CIDER and MAPLE SYRUP into a large saucepan.
- Place the CINNAMON STICKS, CLOVES, ALLSPICE, ORANGE PEEL and LEMON PEEL in the center of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with string. (You just made a little spiced cider tea bag.) Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture.
- Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling.
- Remove the cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh CINNAMON STICK to each serving (if desired).
NOTES:
*Allspice is found in the grocery store. It comes as whole berries or ground. If you can't find the berries, just use about a 1/2 tsp of GROUND ALLSPICE (it's okay if it's a little more) and add it to the drink when heating.
*If you don't want to play around with the cheesecloth, just slice up the fruit and let it float in the cider; It's a pretty thing to do anyway. (Just scoop it out before it sits for an hour, though, or it will make it bitter!)
*If you opt NOT to make the "tea bag" then use 1 tsp GROUND CINNAMON, 1/2 tsp GROUND ALLSPICE and 1/4 tsp CLOVES.
Great for not only your family and home, but also parties and gatherings!
It will also make your house smell delicious!
*Photo: www.dkimages.com
1 comment:
I LOVE fall. I can't wait to make cider and apple crisp, soup and rolls, hot chocolate with marshmallows! You sure are lucky you're pregnant! :) I was pregnant with Kirye during the fall and winter, and boy was it great! Thirty pounds later though, I was definitely not thinking how great it was! :)
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