By Kathryn Reed

When Sue was in Oregon early this month visiting her sister they got to talking about hot cider. Out came the Betty Crocker cookbook to see if it suggested anything special be done to the beverage.

Last weekend Sue made her version of the wintry drink – spiked. She said it’s very similar to Betty’s recipe.

Something about the smell of hot cider is wonderful. The aroma fills the house. It makes me think of my childhood.

I did a little research on the Internet trying to find out the difference between cider and juice. My conclusion is there is no difference.

“Martinelli’s apple juice and cider are the same; the only difference is the label. Both are 100 percent pure juice from U.S. grown fresh apples. We continue to offer the cider label since some consumers simply prefer the traditional name for apple juice.” That from Martinell’s website.

What I would do is make sure you buy a good juice or cider. The cloudy, not from concentrate, unpasteurized stuff is my favorite.

Sue’s Spiked Apple Juice

1 gallon apple juice

Orange juice

1 T whole cloves

½ dozen cinnamon sticks

1 whole orange, cut into slices

Dash brown sugar

Brandy

Put all of the ingredients into a crock pot and let simmer for half a day. Pour a quarter shot of brandy (or whatever you like)  into a small mug, then fill with hot juice.