MULLED WINE
‘Tis the season for steaming drinks in front of a fire with your favorite people with a pot of fragrant, cheerful mulled wine a la Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol!” Originating in ancient cultures, this hot boozy beverage was probably stewed for pleasure, medicine, and as a good way to get all the life out of spices. The Ancient Romans had a spiced wine called “conditum paradoxum,” a recipe with dates, black pepper, and a lot of honey, that’s still known today.
Ingredients
- 1 750 ml bottle of dry red wine
- ¼ cup brandy
- 1 orange, sliced into rounds
- 8 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise
- 2-4 tablespoons of preferred sweetener (sugar, honey, or maple syrup)
Instructions
- Add the wine, brandy, cloves, orange slices, star anise, and cinnamon to a saucepan.
- Stir to combine.
- Cook the wine on medium-high heat and wait until it reaches a simmer.
- Turn the heat down to low, cover, and let the wine simmer for anywhere between 15 minutes and 3 hours.
- Use a fine mesh strainer and remove the orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise.
- Serve with your favorite garnishes!
