Happy Holiday Season! I know that it is just barely almost October but if you are going to plan a trip to attend Christmas markets then you need to know this information before planning your trip! I mean there are only 12 Saturdays left before Christmas and the markets start in November!
For more tips you can always visit my blog post I wrote on the subject by clicking here
Wine of the Week: Mulled Wine!
This week I decided I was going to get into the holiday spirit and share a recipe, still wine-based, for a great holiday drink that will keep you warm all holiday season long!
Mulled Wine Ingredients:
To begin, gather your ingredients. For this mulled wine recipe, you will need:
- Wine: No need to splurge on a pricey bottle — any basic bottle of dry red or white wine will do. (Or if you’re making a big batch, this is a great recipe to break out the boxed wine too!)
- Fresh oranges: One of which we will slice and mull with the wine, one of which you can slice and use as a garnish if you’d like. (To minimize bitterness, feel free to peel the orange before simmering it in the wine.)
- Cinnamon: I love making mulled wine with cinnamon sticks, but you could whisk in some ground cinnamon if that’s what you have on hand.
- Mulling spices: These vary in mulled wine from country to country, but whole cloves and star anise are my favorites, plus perhaps a few cardamom pods.
- Sweetener: Feel free to add your favorite sweetener to taste. Sugar is classic, but I prefer to naturally sweeten mine with either maple syrup or honey.
- Extra liqueur (optional): Similar to sangria, it’s also traditional to spike your mulled wine with an extra bit of liqueur, if you’d like. I like to add a bit of brandy, bourbon, or cognac, but any favorite liqueur will do here. (Or you can skip the extra liqueur if you prefer.)
How To Make Mulled Wine:
To make mulled wine, simply…
- Combine ingredients. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and give them a quick stir.
- Simmer. Heat until the wine just barely reaches a simmer over medium-high heat. (Avoid letting it bubble in any way — you don’t want to boil off the alcohol.)
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours.
- Strain and season. Using a fine-mesh strainer, remove and discard the orange slices, cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and ginger. Give the mulled wine a taste, and stir in your desired amount of extra sweetener if needed.
- Serve. Serve warm in heatproof mugs, topped with your favorite garnishes.
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