Mulled Wine

[derbex]

Considering doing some for Bonfire Night, has anyone a tried and tested recipe? I've made it myself a few times and not been that impressed, but I have tasted some good stuff produced by others. Most notably at the the school's Christmas Bazzar where it fell to me to sell it, I got a job in a pub because I was the only person who could still add up at midnight on New Years Eve (or at least the only person who sounded as though they could )

Jeremy

[busy_lizzie]

Have been making this for years Jeremy.  It comes from "the Archers Cookbook" which I got for Christmas 94, and it always goes down well.  You can vary it, add more sugar if you prefer etc. and my husband has been known to add the odd bit of spirit on occasion, but I like it the way it is because it is fairly simple
Ingred:
6 0z (175g) caster sugar,
1/2 (75cl) bottle water
2 (75cl) bottles of red wine
1 lemon stuck with 6 cloves
1 inch piece of fresh root ginger
thinly pared rind of 1 orange
1 cinnamon stick
juice of 2 lemons

Method:
Measure the sugar and water into a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has disolved.  Add the wine and the rest of the ingredients and heat gently until steaming. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to stand for 10 minutes.  Remove the cinnamon, lemon, ginger and cloves but leave the orange rind to float in the
wine.  Pour into a warmed punch bowl.  

Can almost smell that lovely warming, spicy Christmassy scent.  Hope this is a help.   busy_lizzie

[derbex]

Sounds good, I'b better check out the spice cupboard. Actually, everything in there is older than Methusaleh, maybe I'll just buy new, I don't want to spoil cheap wine by using old spices

Jeremy.

[Mrs Ava]

An old school chum of mine used to make yumsky mulled wine but there were absolutely no measurements involved.  This is how it goes.....

bottle of red
generous slug fresh orange juice
generous slug of stones ginger wine
spices either in a muslin or just plopped in and fished out before serving....cinamon stick, cloves, star anise.
couple of slithers of orange and lemon rind

very gently warm then try adding a couple of tablespoons of sugar, taste....then add more to taste.

DELISH!  Tis the season to be jolly....fraa laa laa laa laa....dee dum dee dee....tis the season to be drunk....fraa laa laa laa laa hic dee hic dum hic hic hic  

[tim]

They had star anise in the old days??? = Tim

[Mrs Ava]

Well no, maybe not.....but you know, why not?!  I love all of the different spices and the aromas around the house.

[derbex]

Sounds good too EJ, and coming from an expert as well (at least in the tasting dept.  ). We've got some ginger wine -although I think it's Crabbes.

Just got to stay sober enough to light the fireworks now.

Jeremy

[derbex]

Thanks again, it all worked well and I used your recipes as a basis. Crabbes isn't to my taste as much as Stones -so I also added magic ingredient X. Cointreau  

The fireworks were fun and the kids had a good time (old & young), I even lit the pumpkin again. Only 12 months until I can do it all again .
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although it is Diwahli on Friday

[gavin]

ROFL - and a few more before Xmas?  Check the religious calendars :-)

All best - Gavin

[Doris_Pinks]

this Friday you say? Oh no does that mean we HAVE to eat curry!!  (hurrah!)

[Chantenay]

Sorry...yes. And it's Eid al fitr on Sunday, and Guru Nanak's birthday on the 26th. There's tough days ahead but we can do it!
http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/

[Doris_Pinks]

I am up for the challenge!

[Mrs Ava]

Monster reason approaching soon to down a slurp or two..................my burfday!