As we head into the festive season, there is nothing better than the thought of spending time with our loved ones, listening to Christmas carols and enjoying a warming glass of mulled wine. This got us thinking about mulled wine and how this popular drink has become so synonymous with Christmas.
In the spirit of Christmas, we caught up with the Operations Manager at Audley Binswood to get his version of the festive classic. Here is Tony's tried and tested method to zesty mulled wine.
Ingredients:
- 2 x 75cl bottles of red wine
- 100ml of your favoured brandy
- 1litre of smooth orange juice
- 2 whole oranges, halved
- 16 cloves
- 2 x star anise
- ½ tsp of allspice
- 1 stick of cinnamon
Method:
- Carefully halve the oranges and embed the cloves into the outer skin of the oranges.
- Add all of the ingredients to a pan and simmer for 30 minutes. Make sure that you do not bring the liquid to a boil, as this will remove the alcohol.
- Strain the mixture and serve.
Where does mulled wine come from?
The origins of our favourite festive tipple can be traced back to the 2nd century and was regularly enjoyed by the Romans, primarily to keep themselves warm during the cold winters. As the Romans conquered more and more of Europe, the popularity of the beverage spread across the Empire.
The Roman Empire may have faded, but our love of mulled wine has only increased over time, with many countries across the globe creating their own unique blends. The collective name 'Glögg' became widespread across Europe and was first used in cookbooks in 1609. Later in 1890 many wine merchants created their own blends and began depicting Father Christmas on the bottles – and thus a Christmas tradition was born.
Find more cocktail recipes on Audley Stories, along with some delicious ideas for your next meal.
