28 December 2006

Merry Mulling, 2006!


I hope everyone has a wonderful end to their 2006 year. What a ride. Although not as awesome as 2005, I'm ready to move onto 2007! Health, Happiness, and Hope for everyone!
Here's a nice recipe for all to enjoy:
Mulled Wine
The word "mulled" simply means heated and spiced, similar to the German Glühwein (glowing wine), the French vin chaud (hot wine) and the Italian vin brulé. In medieval times these wines were called Ypocras or Hipocris, named after the physician Hippocrates. They were thought to be very healthy, and indeed, with wine at the time being far more sanitary than water, these heated drinks probably did keep people healthy through the cold winters.

2/3 cup sugar
1 750ml bottle wine (a decent merlot)
1/2 cup brandy
6 to 8 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
orange peel from 1/2 orange

1: Pour the wine into a nonreactive saucepan and place over low heat.
2: Cut the zest off half an orange with a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler so that only the orange part is removed. If some of the bitter white pith is still attached to the zest, cut it off and discard it.
3: Lightly pound the pieces of zest with the back of a knife or a mallet to release the aromatic oils. Add the zest to the wine. Squeeze some juice in, too.
4: Add the remaining ingredients.
5: Stir occasionally. Do not let the wine come to a boil.
6: When the wine begins to steam and is very hot, it is ready to serve.
7: Shut off the heat and ladle the wine out into mugs or glasses, leaving the seasonings behind.

No comments: