Wassail

Ingredients

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• 6 cups apple cider
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• ¼ cup real maple syrup
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• 2 cinnamon sticks
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• 6 whole cloves
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• 6 whole allspice berries
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• 1 orange peel, cut into strips
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• 1 lemon peel, cut into strips
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Instructions

1. 1
   Gather the ingredients.
2. 2
   Pour apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan.
3. 3
   Place cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel, and lemon peel in the center of a square of washed 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.
4. 4
   Place the saucepan over moderate heat and cook until cider is very hot but not boiling, about 5 to 10 minutes.
5. 5
   Remove cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle.
6. 6
   Ladle cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh cinnamon stick to each serving if desired.