COCKTAILS OF THE MONTH
W L
MULLED WINE
MULLED CIDER
COCKTAILS OF THE MONTH
By Jess B of The Library Oxton
Mulled Wine :
Mulled wine is a classic festive drink you enjoy keeping you warm in the winter whilst wandering around the Christmas Markets . Mulled wine is created by using a variety of different spices , there isn ’ t one recipe for this drink as many people like to use different spirits or spices , so it is completely up to you if there is anything you wish to substitute .
As with many classic Christmas drinks , mulled wine dates all the way back to the ancient Roman times where people would heat their wines with various spices such as ginger and pepper in order to keep warm during the colder seasons . Firstly , you need to source your red wine . Now unlike anything I ’ ve told you before this actually doesn ’ t have to be the best red wine you have ever had . However , I would recommend a dry red such as a cabernet sauvignon or merlot but anything that you enjoy drinking will be just fine . It is not necessary to add brandy as the drink Is boozy enough without it , but I like to add it for a bit of extra depth . As I have mentioned above , any spices can be used but this recipe calls for the classics , star anise and cinnamon with a bit of fresh orange to balance it all out .
Ingredients :
• 1 bottle of red wine
• 1 orange cut into slices
• 100mls Brandy
• Tbsp of honey
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 5 star anise
Method : Combine all ingredients in a pan over medium heat , bring to a simmer and then reduce to medium heat again . Then , keep it on a low for 10 minutes and then serve warm . Serve with a slice of orange and a couple of star anise .
Mulled Cider :
Staying on the mulled theme this month , another popular Christmas drink is mulled cider . Mulled cider is made in much the same way as mulled wine , with many of the same spices used . Similarly , it was created long ago with its origins stemming from English Medieval time during a drinking ritual called Wassailing . This ceremony took place of the twelfth night , January 5th and was intended to insure a good apple harvest . The original wassail drink consisted of mulled ale , curdled cream , egg and spices . It was served after singing a Wassail carol and performing a special dance .
Now the mulled cider we make today fortunately doesn ’ t contain curdled cream or egg but is created in much the same way and is still drunk around Christmas time . As with the mulled wine you can use any cider you like but I suggest a sweet cloudy cider with a strong apple taste .
Ingredients :
• 1L of apple cider
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 star anise
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 5 cloves
• 1 sliced orange
Method : Pour all ingredients into a pan and stir on a medium heat . Next , cover the pan and bring up to a simmer . Once the cider is bubbling bring it back down to a low heat and serve in a heatproof glass warm with a stick of cinnamon .
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