[Bodger]

In an effort to bring some much needed money back into the cider business I'm thinking of holding a small wassailing event at our place in the early Autumn.
As well as cider and apple juice, I'm also thinking mulled cider, so first of all, has anyone got a half decent recipe for it?
I'm also  thinking that having traditional toffee apples for sale on the day might be a winner, so once again, a recipe for the toffee would be handy. I think that I might be able to work out what to do with the apple and where to stick the stick.
If you good people can sort me out with that, then I'll be much obliged. 
I'll stick our diddy marquee up and invite the local folk club down to play, we could have apple dunking and perhaps sell mince pies and apple tarts etc. Basically, I just need to create one more day after the summer when I'll be able to sell a drop more cider. If you have any ideas, then just post them on here and anything within reason will be considered. If you just by chance happen to be a member of strolling wassailers and you fancy a day out, then that would be great too. 
PS. On a slightly different tack, this year I have grown hundreds of chillis, has anyone had any luck pickling them and if so, have you got a recipe for that as well?  
Unfortunately, I don't think that the suckling pigs will be ready by then but pumpkin heads and the soup that you can make from their insides would be pretty seasonal. 

[Bert]

This is a fantastic toffee apple recipe   
http://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/bonfire-toffee-apples.html


I can recommend it, I've made lots of them and they are lovely.

[Bodger]

Many thanks Bert

[Min]

The chili pickling recipie in Beryl Wood is thus:

Shove chilis in jar (topped, deseeded and sliced in half)
Add spiced white vinegar

Doesn't sound too difficult!  I plan to give it a shot myself too.

[MAK]

Chilli - my sister hangs her plants to dry and plucks the chilli as needed - must be very warm and sun when you start the process but once dried then a kitchen will surfice.
She also pops hole ones in the freezer. She has an icecream tub that she drops them as they are ready.

What about a Cider and Rabbit dish and jacket spuds. very easy if you can get someone to provide you with a few rabbits. Shows off the cider in a different way.

[Bodger]

I catch loads of rabbits myself but a good French recipe would be much appreciated.

[MAK]

I am pretty sure that I read the Rabbit in Cider receipe some time back then made my own version in FRANCE so it may qualify as French.
Fry off rabbit in olive oil ( not too hot) and just to a golden colour. Remove.
add chopped onions or shallots if you have them, diced carrots, lardons,tyme and sweat for a few mins.
turn up the heat and add about a quarter of a pint of cider and reduce back to the soft ingredients.
Stir in a spoonfull of whole grain mustard and a good spoon full of flour and keep stirring as you ad more cider ( i used some stock too once). Add enough liquid so that when you add the rabbit into the iron pot all the meat is covered. stuff it in the oven with some whole shallots or maybe chunks of carrots for 50 mins then lid off and reduce the sauce as you fancy.
( Serve with chips and baked beans  ---- just kidding).
I ensure everyone gets a wine glass full of cold cider to drink with the meal ( even those who say they don't drink cider love it). Maybe chunks of bread or a jacket spud?
last week I gave all my neighbors a rabbit each so I will ask them how they cooked theirs - 3 x 80 plus year old French ladies should come up with authentic receipes.

[Mariask]

If you're having a Wassail/apple event, you could do much worse than find a local morris dance side, and get them to come along. They all drink like fish, and cider has been known to be a special favourite. They'll drink you dry AND provide music and dance.

[Bodger]

I've got the local folk music society coming instead.