Mulled wine, mead, and more.
Mulling It Over
Spices are the secret to this winter warmer.
In many ways, mulled wine is the chicken soup of beverages: It’s simple, comforting, and easy to make from inexpensive ingredients—and there are hundreds of variations. It was invented in the second century by Romans looking to preserve extra wine by heating it and adding spices. During the Middle Ages, the people of plague-ridden Europe thought of it as a health drink, while the Victorians, inspired by Charles Dickens, embraced it as a holiday treat.
Make your own version of this winter warmer by heating a dry, fruit-forward red wine like merlot or zinfandel with a bit of sugar; citrus fruit, zest, or juice; and spices such as allspice, nutmeg, or, like the Romans, peppercorns and saffron. Germans use star anise, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, cloves, and oranges in their glühwein, while Swedes add raisins, ginger, and cardamom to their glögg. Fortifying spirits (think Port or brandy) are optional.
Or, if you prefer, try this recipe from the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant, which was adapted from historical cookbooks used by Martha Washington.
1 bottle red wine
3 pints water
¼ cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons allspice
2 teaspoons cloves
6 dashes bitters
juice of ½ lemon
Combine ingredients, boil for 5 minutes, and serve hot.
Serves 6 to 8
Photo courtesy of Misty Mountain Meadworks
Making Merry with Mead
Add a special touch to your holiday celebrations by swapping your Champagne for a bottle of mead. Long associated with banquets and celebrations, mead—or “honey wine”—is simply fermented honey. “It’s the oldest fermented beverage known to man. Latest research shows that it predates the invention of the wheel,” says Rick Copeland, the meadmeister at Misty Mountain Meadworks in Winchester, Virginia’s oldest meadery.
Mead tastes like honey, of course, but, says Copeland, “The quality and flavor of the honey makes most meads unique.” He says mead can range from overly sweet to bone-dry and very strong to very weak, depending on the maker. “It should be complex yet smooth, with a long floral finish and no bitterness. A well-balanced mead has been described to me by a mead lover as ‘joy in a glass.’” MistyMountainMead.com
Find more meaderies on our list of Favorite Beverage Makers here.
Photo by Marcus Holman Photography
White Lie
Released earlier this year, Tarnished Truth Distilling Company’s Old Cavalier Bourbon Cream is the perfect accompaniment for late winter nights by the fire with family and friends. This creamy and boozy cocktail also features three-year bourbon from the Virginia Beach-based Cavalier Hotel’s distillery. TarnishedTruth.com
1 ½ ounces Old Cavalier Bourbon Cream
¾ ounce 3 Year High Rye Straight Bourbon Whiskey
¾ ounce Belle Isle Cold Brew Coffee Moonshine
Combine all ingredients and serve in a rocks glass over ice.
This article originally appeared in our December 2019 issue.
