Hot Spiced Cider

Ingredients

• 6 cups fresh apple cider
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (more or less, to taste)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 whole cloves
• 6 whole allspice berries
• 6 strips orange peel
• 6 strips lemon peel

Directions

Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan. Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in the center of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string. 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 you like.