Spicing it up with mulled wine
Is there enough ice? Does everyone have a drink? Did the mozzarella sticks get into the oven? When does the turkey have to be in? What questions race through your head when you are hosting an event? If done correctly a gathering is planned and executed in a way that allows the host to put on a memorable evening while still having enough time left over to have a good time with those who have gathered. One of the keys to being a part of the party is finding ways to host efficiently.
Identifying ways to lessen your burden can be challenging but can be found, one such way is with an offering of punch or other beverage in a larger vessel accompanied by a ladle for your guests. If your friends would appreciate a warmer beverage option a crock pot is an easy accessory that will accomodate such an offering. For anyone who is coming in from the cold a warm drink is always appreciated and that leads us to our drink of the day; mulled wine.
Mulled wine has been around in one form or another for a very long time. The ancient Romans were the first to record recipes for the drink, and as with a lot of things that the Romans did the tradition spread throughout the empire. The middle ages saw Europe engage mulled wine even more until it eventually fell out of fashion everywhere but Sweden where the monarchy had several versions that remained popular for centuries. It was the late 1800’s when mulled wine began to be associated with Christmas and Santa Claus, encouraging nearly every shop that sold wine to have their own version for sale. By the early 1900’s mulled wine became somewhat of a global phenomenon and we never looked back. From white wine to red, even rose’s have been mulled somewhere in the world.
As with anything that has as long of a history as mulled wine, there are an endless number of recipes using different herbs and spices to elevate wine to new heights. The first question to ask yourself when concocting your own mulled wine is what wine to use as your base. Generally it is recommended to work with a wine that you enjoy and simply use the herbs and spices of your choosing to build upon that flavour base. For a fuller flavour profile a general rule would be to reach for the zinfandels or cabernet sauvignons. If a milder wine is more for you a good pinot noir may just be the thing.
The Recipe:
Ingredients:
3 cups red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon)
1 cinnamon stick
1 pod star anise
3 whole cloves
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
rind of ½ a lemon
Instructions:
- Place all ingredients into a small pot
- Heat on medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer, do not let boil.
- Turn oven on low and let the mixture steep for twenty minutes.
- Strain and serve hot.
Combining flavourings and heat to wine is nothing new, and on a cold winter night it can be the perfect drink to help warm the hands and souls of both you and your guests. Combined with one less thing to worry about (keeping an eye on everyone’s glasses) this is one little trick to allow you to get a little more fun out of the party you’re hosting. As always enjoy, but please enjoy responsibly.