Wendi Nichols Hard Cider | ‘Howl at the Moon’
Hard Cider featuring 151 Rum by Lemon Hart & Son & Tuaca
“There is something absolutely euphoric about this elixir. Brew it up on a full moon night.”
Warming Cider
SERVES 8- 2 COCKTAILS EACH (MAKES 2 QUARTS)
Wendi’s Mulled Cider
2 quarts of apple cider (unfiltered apple juice)
2 cups unsulfured dried apple slices
1 orange sliced
2 tangerines sliced
2 lemons sliced
3 star anise
1 vanilla bean, cut in half, seeds removed (save seeds for another recipe as these are worth they’re weight in gold)
1 Tbsp. cloves (stud orange slices)
3 cinnamon sticks
To make the hard cider
1 bottle 151 Rum (I highly recommend Lemon Hart & Son)
1 bottle Tuaca
1 whole nutmeg
ground cayenne
Place first listing of ingredients from cider through cinnamon sticks in a crock pot, instant pot or large sauce pot. Cover & simmer very low for a minimum of two hours. This cider is delightful on it’s own or make a hard cider using the recipe below.
Howl at the Moon Hard Cider | Stiff
4 oz. spiced cider (from above)
1/4 cup 151 Rum
1 Tbsp. Tuaca
4 passes of freshly grated nutmeg
1 pinch of cayenne
Ladle 4 oz. of cider into a glass mug, add rum & Tuaca. Dust the top of the cocktail with freshly grated nutmeg & a pinch of cayenne. Garnish with a butter sauteed lemon slice & a cinnamon stick if desired.
Howl at the Moon Hard Cider | Slow & Easy Sipper
6 oz. spiced cider
2 Tbsp. 151 Rum
2 Tbsp. Tuaca
4 passes of freshly grated nutmeg
1 pinch of cayenne
Ladle 6 oz. of cider into a glass mug, add rum & Tuaca. Dust the top of the cocktail with freshly grated nutmeg & a pinch of cayenne. Garnish with a butter sauteed lemon slice & a cinnamon stick if desired.
Chef Notes:
I created this winter cocktail a decade ago & at that time, the only 151 rum that you could find was made by Bacardi. This go around I only found one company making 151- Lemon Hart & Son with a pretty hefty price tag. But being the purist that I am, I reluctantly handed the clerk my debit card & left with my rum & Tuaca. Let me just say this here & now, I am not a big rum girl but this rum was worth every single penny. The deep molasses grabs you by the throat yet finishes smooth. With hints of burnt caramel, ripe banana & baked apple, it was almost as if it was created for this drink. Do not waste your time with any other rum. I’m adding it to my bar repertoire.
Tuaca. An Italian blended brandy with vanilla & citrus overtones. This decadent liqueur adds the Je ne sais quoi (French for that certain something…) to mixed drinks.
Dried apples over fresh. I prefer the concentrated sweetness from a dried apple but you may use fresh if desired.
Nutmeg is known to be an aphrodisiac & cayenne speeds metabolism. Thus the combination of the two, laced over the top of this concoction, serves to emphasize the warming sensation. I recommend that you don’t skip either.
Drink in the warmth of the moment with this sultry blues song from Shawman’s Harvest.
