BrightwoodLiving Brings You a Halloween Elixir

This is the perfect drink for Halloween or the upcoming holidays. We made this spiced cider for a party last year, and it was a huge hit – no one drank anything else! Plus, your home will smell amazing — just like you baked an apple pie.

APPLE PIE CIDER (serves about six)

5 cups apple cider (ordinary supermarket cider works fine)

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 cinnamon stick (plus 6 sticks for garnish)

1 teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground ginger

pinch of ground nutmeg (freshly ground, if you’ve got it)

pinch of ground cloves

pinch of salt

½ cup Boulard Calvados (fancy French apple brandy)

Combine the cider, sugar and spices in a saucepan over medium-low heat. (If you don’t have every spice in the recipe, don’t sweat it –also, in a pinch you could also use McCormick’s “Apple Pie Spice” blend.) Simmer until the cider is hot, or until it smells so good you can’t take it anymore.

Remove from heat and add the secret, magical ingredient, Boulard Calvados. It’s a little pricey, (we’ve found it priced anywhere from $30 on Georgia Ave. to $37 on Conn. Ave.) and can be hard to find, but it’s totally worth the extra effort.

Give it a taste…

and don’t be afraid to add more brandy.

Serve in mugs garnished with cinnamon sticks. If you’re having a party, you can make the elixir in a crock pot and put it out on the bar. Make sure to make enough! (I recommend making extra batches, putting them back in the cider jars and then storing them in the fridge until you need them.)

Original recipe by Martha Stewart <http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/apple-pie-cider?autonomy_kw=apple%20pie%20cider>