Celebrate National Mulled Cider Day | News, sports, work

Apple Cider Press (Provided photo – Yvona Fast)

National Mulled Cider Day is the perfect way to celebrate fall. Heating means adding spices to drinks – like apple cider. Mulled drinks have been known since ancient Rome, but Charles Dickens “Carol” increased their popularity.

Apple cider is fresh, unfiltered apple juice. Slightly fermented, this is a hard cider. Mulled cider is simmered and seasoned with sweet spices. It’s a hot, aromatic drink that will warm you up on cold autumn days.

It’s autumn. The air is cooler and we bring warm comfort food. It’s time to replace cold drinks like iced tea and lemonade with drinks that warm the body and soul – like hot mulled cider seasoned with warming autumn spices: cinnamon, allspice and cloves.

In the 18th century, cider was a fermented alcoholic drink. However, with the ban that ended alcoholic beverages in 1920 and the advent of refrigeration, cider came to refer to fresh, unprocessed apple juice – the unfiltered, unfermented liquid containing the pulp left over from processing apples.

Most cider is made from a blend of apples, which provides a balance of sweet and tart flavors. Processed apple juice is filtered to remove all apple pulp; cider is not, so it retains a more complex flavor. The pulp contains pectin and polyphenols, natural antioxidants with cancer-protective properties. Look for unpasteurized ciders; pasteurization kills bacteria and deactivates some enzymes. Extends shelf life but inhibits oxidation, affecting taste.

Apple trees came to the New World with European colonists. In the early 1800s, John Chapman, known as Johnny Appleseed, traveled the countryside planting apple trees from Pennsylvania through Ohio and Indiana. Today, over 7,000 varieties of apples grow in temperate regions of the world. In the USA, New York ranks second (after Washington State) in terms of apple production. Apples vary in taste and texture. Some are crispy and juicy, others are softer. Some are sweet, others are tart.

The cider press was invented in Europe in the 13th century. The device crushes the apples and passes them through a cylinder where the piston applies pressure, releasing the juice.

In the New World, commercial production of apple cider began in Connecticut in the early 17th century. Soon, hard cider – popular in England since the times of the Celts – became the most popular alcoholic drink in the colonies. In the early 18th century, over 300,000 gallons were pressed annually in New England. The abundance of apples and ease of production made it the alcoholic beverage of choice for the working class in the 1840s.

Sweet, warming spices – cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom – are an important part of autumn menus. Today we take these spices for granted, but hundreds of years ago the only more expensive commodities were gold and silver.

Sweet spices are full of antioxidants and phytonutrients. In the East, they have been used in medicine for thousands of years. Cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg are considered warming herbs; they help dilate and relax muscles and arteries and open up what is clogged. They are good for atherosclerosis, angina and other heart problems because they improve circulation.

On cold, crisp fall mornings or damp, cool fall days, a pot of cider steaming with fall spices fills the house with a wonderful aroma. As the leaves begin to fall, warm up with a cup of hot mulled cider.

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Spiced Hot Cider

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Ingredients:

1/2 gallon fresh apple cider

4 cinnamon sticks

3-4 whole cloves

Allspice 8 grains

Peel one lemon, optional

Peel one orange, optional

1 tablespoon of maple syrup

2 teaspoons lemon juice (if not using zest, above)

Tips:

Cook the cider on the stove with cinnamon, cloves, allspice and peels for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in maple syrup and lemon juice, if using. Set aside covered for 5 or 10 minutes longer. Remove the cinnamon and cloves. Serve hot in mugs. If desired, decorate with apple and orange slices. Serves 4 to 6.

Variations: add other spices, e.g. nutmeg. You can also spice it up by adding half a cup of dark rum, brandy or schnapps.

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Apple muffins

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Ingredients:

1 egg

1/3 cup of natural yogurt

1/4 cup maple syrup

3/4 cup apple cider

1 1/3 cups of oatmeal

2/3 cup of whole grain flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of salt

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1 large or 2 small apples

1/2 cup walnuts or raisins, optional

Tips:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare muffin tins (butter or line with paper cups).

Beat the egg in a bowl with a fork or whisk. Mix yogurt, syrup and cider. Mix the oatmeal.

In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add to the bowl with the oats and mix until just combined.

Wash the apples, core them and cut them into cubes. No need to peel. Mix in, along with nuts and raisins, if using.

Fill the muffin tins 2/3 full and bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown and completely baked.

Author of an award-winning cookbook “Gourmet Gourmet: Fresh and Great Meals from Your Garden, CSA or Farmers Market” Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: writing and cooking. She can be found at www.yvonafast.com and can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @yvonawrites.