Mulled Wine. It’s the staple drink of the festive season. The one your local pub will have on it’s chalk boards. It’s the drink synonymous with Sunday afternoon’s relaxing in good company.
Mulled Wine has a delicious taste with a distinctive aroma and is even has health benefits with its traditionally used spices offering boosts to antioxidant levels whilst the wine can be good for your cholesterol as well as welcoming in that festive cheer!
Mulled Wine is traditionally served hot or warm and can come in alcoholic or non-alcoholic form. Usually it’s seasoned with traditional Christmas spices, such as nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon, however plenty of people use their own recipe. Heated slowlythe flavours from the spices are allowed time to mix with the Red Wine. Extra sugar and honey is often added to provide a sweeter taste. Typically, Mulled Wine is made in larger quantities to cater for a number of people/guests often served in a pot.
Mulled wine recipe:
Ingredients
– 1 bottle red wine – 60g/2oz demerara sugar – 1 cinnamon stick – grated nutmeg – 1 orange, halved – 1 dried bay leaf – 60ml/2fl oz sloe or damson gin (optional)
Preparation method
– Put the wine in a saucepan with the orange, sugar, bayleaf and the spices.
– Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Taste to see if you want the wine sweeter, and add more sugar to taste.
– Off the heat, stir in the sloe or damson gin if you are using it.
– Strain into heatproof glasses and serve at once.
Remember: If you’re catering for a dinner party and you’re running low on supplies – Add some fruit and water to maintain the sweet taste and boost your levels.
Why do we love it? Because not only does it taste amazing and have benefits to health but it also signals the start of that festive time of year reserved for spending time with friends and family, relaxing and maybe, just maybe, having a little bit of party!