Merry Witches Brew - My favorite love spell!

Every good witch has her own favorite brew and I think that there's no better time to serve it than the merry month of October, when the winds are getting crisper and there's always a bit of a damp chill in the air. I love this time of year when all the ingredients of my favorite brew literally jump into my cauldron fresh from the market. For me, the obvious first ingredient is fresh apple cider, so abundant at this time of year. I'm lucky enough to have several "pick your own" pumpkin and apple farms very close to me and they have their own cider presses. If you've never experienced the making of fresh cider, make this the year that you finally do. The smell of the press as it mashes the fresh sweet apples into fresh cider is absolutely intoxicating. Grab a caramel apple and a gallon of fresh cider, go home and make this brew. The left overs are easily refrigerated and will keep you very warm during theses changing autumn days!

First things first! Make several pomanders using some of the smaller apples that you've picked as the base. You'll do this by taking the apples and studding them with cloves in all manner of beautiful patterns. While you're doing this create patterns that you love  and use them as a simple spell to make a very good wish for a safe, abundant and love filled New Year. Then do the same with several small seedless oranges and set them aside. Use as many cloves as you wish, because the fragrance will be absolutely intoxicating!

Then in your favorite cauldron (I used to make this one in a cast iron pot on top of my wood burning stove when I lived in the country) add 1 gallon of freshly pressed cider, 2 cups of maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of fresh powdered cinnamon, about 5 large cinnamon sticks, 1 teaspoon of good vanilla extract and 1/2 a teaspoon of fresh nutmeg, 3 tablespoon of dried or fresh rose petals (from your garden if you have them) and the pomanders. Bring this all to a lovely rolling boil and then turn down the heat. Add 1 bottle of very good red wine and about 2 and a half cups of dark spiced rum and then stir in one stick of salted organic butter.   Keep this hot but not boiling and serve happily and carefully as this is one potent brew!

Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 
 

Painting by John WIlliam Waterhouse

Comments

[JoyceAnn]

Hi ~ Your Merry Witches Brew sounds delish , need to find some fresh pressed cider and brew some up.

~ Happy October Blog Party ~

[Wendy]

Oh how I love fresh apple cider...the whole reason we travel to New England in October each year. Your brew sounds bewitching to be sure. I love the vision of you cooking yours in a cast iron pot on top of your wood burning stove in the country. Why ever did you move away from the country anyway?