Making Spirits Bright with Wassail

England's spin on the Christmas cocktail was the ancient beverage known as wassail, essentially Middle English for "cheers".  The base alcohol was beer, mead or wine, heated with sliced apples and spices and served in the customary wassail bowl.  This version, scented with cloves and allspice, cleverly combines apples with cider and Calvados.

Directions:

Sprinkle 1/4-inch-thick apple slices with maple sugar, and roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes for garnish, if desired. 

Combine 4 allspice berries and 2 whole cloves in a cheesecloth sachet.  Heat 1 cup fresh cider and spice sachet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. 

Remove from heat; cover, and let steep for 30 minutes. 

Stir in 2 tablespoons maple sugar, and heat over medium heat until it dissolves. 

Reduce heat to low, and add two 12-ounce bottles ale, preferably Newcastle Brown Ale.  Heat for 8 minutes. 

Add 1/2 cup Calvados, and heat for 3 minutes more.  Remove sachet; discard. 

Divide among 4 to 6 heatproof glasses.  Garnish with roasted apple slices if using.  Serves 4 to 6.

{This post is an excerpt from "Making Spirits Bright" as published in Martha Stewart Living magazine}