Nothing smells like Fall more than apple cider bubbling on the stove. The blend of cinnamon and nutmeg permeates every nook of a home with the aroma of nostalgia. Seasons are forever changing, and Fall particularly seems ephemeral, as the leaves change and drop in the blink of an eye. I constantly feel like I am grasping for autumn, trying with all of my might to snatch up her beauty before she fades into winter.
Lucky for us, Salt Lake City has a great program called Green Urban Lunch Box. Residents of the valley can register their fruit trees with the program. Once the fruit is ready to pick, GULB volunteers come pick the fruit. A third of the fruit goes to the homeowner, a third to the food bank, and a third to the volunteers. We have picked apricots, grapes, pears, apples, and plums with this amazing program. The cute little apples I used in this recipe are from a GULB pick earlier this season.
Quarter 10-15 apples and dump in a large pot. Add one sliced orange, 3/4 cup of sugar, nutmeg, cloves, and 2-3 cinnamon sticks. Cover with water and simmer over the stove for 2-3 hours.
Once the cider has cooked down, strain out the ingredients. Enjoy this steamy beverage by the fire, all cozy under a blanket, while savoring the essence of this beautiful season. 