“Listen! The wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves,
We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!” – Humbert Wolfe
Fall is here in all its brilliant glory and my soul rejoices.
.
Everything about fall excites me
As I walk the neighborhood, beautiful maple trees robed in exquisite jeweled colors of red, yellow and orange, shimmer and shake in the wind. Air as crisp as new linen sheets reaches out and greets me.
Fragrant pine needles assault my senses as they are crunched beneath my feet, demanding to be noticed, not wanting to be left out in this little foray of sights, smells and sounds of fall, while I bask in the magnificence of God’s creation.
Along with fall, comes cooler weather and for me, the desire to create. I am hard pressed to create the sights and smells of fall as they are so expertly done in nature, but that doesn’t stop me from trying.
Spiced Apple Cider is one of my best efforts.
The spicy fragrance greets friends and neighbors at our door, welcoming them in without a word being spoken.
- 6 oz whole cinnamon sticks
- 10 whole nutmegs
- 1/3 c star anise
- 2/3 c dried orange peel
- 2/3 c dried lemon peel
- 3/4 c whole cloves
- 1/2 c allspice berries
- 1/3 c finely chopped crystallized ginger
- 20 small bags with drawstrings
- Place cinnamon sticks, nutmegs and star anise in a zippered freezer bag and close, pressing out all the air from the bag. Place the bag on a cutting board and pound with a mallet or rolling pin until sticks and nutmegs are broken into pieces. Chop ginger into small pieces.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
- Spoon 1 1/2 - 2 tbsp mix into each bag, gather drawstrings tight and tie ends.
- To Make Spiced Apple Cider
- Combine 1 gallon apple cider and 1 spice bag in a crock pot or a large pot on the stove. Heat for 30-40 minutes or until hot. Remove spice bag. Serve hot.
2 Crochet Hooks: Retro Re-pin Party *Weekend Craft: Creative Spark *The Newlywed Pilgrimage: Moonlight and Mason Jars
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Shari, my package blew in like a fallen leaf, still intact! It was exciting to open the cute little boxes as the scents within made a promise to delight! I simmered the cider per package instructions and the result was marvelous! My house was filled with warmth, laughter, and all the joy of a crisp fall evening. Oh yeah, and the cider was delicious! My only regret was not having apple spice cake ready to have for dessert. I guess I will have to make it next weekend, too!
How sweet, Kathleen. I am glad you enjoyed them. I have made it a point to keep a little simmering on the stove (the leftover spice bag ) in water to enjoy the fall scents for as long as possible. Thanks again for your purchase. ps. If you ever want to do a little guest blogging, let me know. Your descriptions were wonderful.
looks and sounds yummy! All I need is some fresh apple cider.
Thanks Roberta. I am seriously thinking about getting my own apple press. Wouldn’t it be fun to make your own whenever you wanted to. On my wish list for sure.