1) Pour cider in a small pot and heat over medium-high heat.
2) While it is heating, put the cinnamon sticks in a mortar and pestle and smash until they're in fairly small pieces. Then add the cardamom pods and swish around with the pestle until the skin of the pods starts to weaken. Then remove the pods, open the pods and place the cardamom seeds into the mortar with the cinnamon. Add the cloves, peppercorns, and anise seeds and finely grind.
3) Add spice blend to cider. You can either place it directly in the simmering cider for a few minutes and then strain it out when you serve or put them in a tea ball of muslin bag and steep for several minutes before serving.
Enjoy!