Mulled cider

The hard part, I thought, was zesting the lemon.

I had believed a cheese grater would work, but this didn't pan out; mine, at least, simply wasn't sharp enough to remove significant amounts of the peel. I was eventually able to use a large cutting knife with a serrated blade to scrape at the peel; then I simply dipped the blade in the hot cider to transfer the zest.

In retrospect this was a horrible idea, as heat plus water plus an at least mildly acidic substance equals a good chance of causing the blade to rust.

The first batch has turned out okay, really: it was very thick, probably because I'd let it simmer too long: I'm using "Five Apple Cider" from Williams Sonoma, which happens to come as a concentrate, and I think I accidentally turned it back into a concentrate. It started out as a quart of liquid and ended up as, well, what you see to the left. That vase-cum-carafe (purchased from Kroger's) is actually supposed to be a two-quart container. So it was thick, but it tasted delicious anyway; I had a half-cup of it with some block cheddar from last night, which worked well, although that half-cup did seem like a full one.

(This is turning into a food blog, isn't it. Sigh.)

For the second batch, I've put a lid on. This has led to it going to a rolling boil while I was typing the above paragraph. Note: heat goes on the absolute lowest notch. (It's an electric range, so it's hard to tell how much heat is actually being applied. The last batch I left at 2 or 2.5 the whole way through.) Well, hopefully the lid will have counteracted this means there will be more cider.

Note: buy styrofoam cups.

Second batch is done, but it's a lot hotter than the first batch was, possibly because I didn't let it lose much heat through evaporation, like I did with the first batch. It sits in the Pyrex to cool.

(And it's getting hot in here.)

Second batch is done and poured. Shan't take another picture, but it's up to about the second rib from the top on the carafe; there's easily room for another smallish batch like the first, especially if I drink the remainder, which I believe I shall! So the saucepan's on the stove again, low and open.

... and if I don't hit Publish Post soon, I'm going to fall asleep without posting; and frankly I'm boring myself at this point, so *click*