Measure the four cloves and cinnamon stick into a small dish before they enter the saucepan. Have the small strainer ready to remove them at the end. The spices flavor the liquid during the gentle warming stage; they are not intended as garnish for people to bite or discover at the bottom of a mug.
Warm without a hard boil and keep attention on the pot during the short simmer. Use heatproof mugs and divide the orange slices for serving, allowing the drinks to cool to a comfortable sipping temperature. Check the cider label for the alcohol-free product specified. A bottle called cider can mean different things in different places, so the ingredient identity matters more than its name alone.
Timing and servings are estimates. Equipment, ingredients and portion sizes affect the result.
