mulled wine.

December 8, 2014

mulled wine | reading my tea leaves mulled wine | reading my tea leaves If you’re able, the best way to drink a glass of mulled wine is out of a paper cup at an outdoor Christmas market. Preferably there’s a chill in the air enough that you need something warming and there’s a hot pretzel stand nearby to help soak up some of the spiced spirits. If you do everything right you manage to dribble only a little bit of the wine onto your winter gloves and you avoid sloshing a merry-making neighbor with the entirety of your cup. But if more than that is spilled in the process, you’ll be forgiven because ’tis the season.

I had my first cup of mulled wine on this day, eight years ago. I was in Lyon for the Fête des Lumières, wandering around the streets of that crowded city, looking up at people’s windows where long tapers and petites bougies were left burning for passersby to see. (We’ll be burning candles in our windows tonight too.)

If you don’t find yourself in Lyon, or if wandering the streets ever so slightly buzzed is not your cup of tea, you can make a pot to enjoy at home (or swap apple cider for the wine, minus the honey).

Recipes for mulled wine abound. You can cut the alcohol with apple cider or orange juice, or add to it with hearty glug of brandy. You can add any of your favorite winter spices: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, even black pepper, if you’re feeling extra spicy. Depending on your wine, you might decide to sweeten it up a bit. I used honey, but regular old sugar works as well. The result is a drink that sweet and fragrant, and admittedly something of an acquired taste. (Worth the acquiring.)
mulled wine | reading my tea leaves If making the wine for a large group, consider buying an oversized bottle of run-of-the-mill table wine—nothing fancy. mulled wine | reading my tea leaves Add spices to a small muslin spice sack and pop the whole thing into your pot for easy removal. mulled wine | reading my tea leaves Use a vegetable peeler to help you remove the rind from the orange (you can also put dried peel inside your spice sack instead.) mulled wine | reading my tea leaves Add an extra citrus note by adding the juice of one orange. mulled wine | reading my tea leaves Mulled Wine

1 bottle of red wine (I used an extra-large bottle of drinkable, but not expensive Spanish wine)
1 teaspoon cardamom pods, crushed slightly
1 teaspoon cloves
1-2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 vanilla bean, split down the center
1 orange, juiced and rind removed
honey, to taste

Garnish (optional)
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1 orange wheel

1. Into a small muslin spice sack put cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla bean.
2. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the rind from one orange, trying not to remove too much of the white pith. Slice the orange in half and squeeze the juice into a heavy bottomed pot.
3. Add spice sack and orange peel to the pot and cover with wine.
4. Simmer over a low flame for 20 minutes or until fragrant. Add honey or sugar to taste and stir until combined.
5. Serve warm, with a garnish of cinnamon stick, anise seed, and orange.
mulled wine | reading my tea leaves The wine won’t keep jarred longterm, but I brought a mason jar of it over to my sister’s house to rewarm for Sunday dinner. If you’d like to give the gift of mulled wine for someone to use at their leisure, package up the spices.

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16 Comments

  • Reply Hannah S December 8, 2014 at 2:44 pm

    I love mulled wine but I love it sweet so I add a good amount of sugar when making it. Might take away from the traditional version but I can drink the whole pot that way 🙂
    Thanks for the recipe, will def be trying it over the weekend.

    1
  • Reply Anonymous December 8, 2014 at 3:01 pm

    In french, we say «petites bougies», not «petits bougies».

    • Reply Erin December 8, 2014 at 3:02 pm

      oh, of course. thanks for the catch.

    • Reply Anonymous December 8, 2014 at 3:04 pm

      No problem! I'll definitely try the recipe!

  • Reply Luz B. December 8, 2014 at 5:30 pm

    The intro to this post sent me into a beautiful place of nostalgia. My first cup of mulled wine was in Villars, Switzerland. I was studying near there and they were serving it on the street after the first snowfall of winter. No recipe I've found can match that first experience, but mulled wine has now found a special place in my winter traditions and I look forward to trying your recipe!

  • Reply Anna December 8, 2014 at 5:57 pm

    I love that you put that mulled wine in a Mason Jar. I know you can do just about everything with them but this is yet another sweet touch.

  • Reply Rachel December 8, 2014 at 6:39 pm

    Oooh! I'm not sure I've ever had mulled wine. I think my boyfriend and I will have to try this recipe out!

    xo
    Rachel

  • Reply Liza December 8, 2014 at 10:35 pm

    This sounds so lovely and your photos make it even more so. Thanks for sharing!

  • Reply Kate Tweedie December 9, 2014 at 1:40 am

    Mulled wine doesn't seem so appropriate here in the summertime but perhaps we'll draw the curtains, put on the air conditioning and pretend we're just back from the Christmas market, in need of a warm glass of this merry looking drink.

  • Reply lucinda smith December 9, 2014 at 2:58 am

    what a fabulous hostess gift to bring to a christmas party! beautiful pictures, thanks for sharing the idea, cheers!

  • Reply Kali December 9, 2014 at 7:33 am

    This is so eerie to hear about Lyon's fête des lumières from a foreign blog I silently follow – I tend to forget it's so famous now it goes way beyond our local little 8 décembre celebrations now 🙂 I'm happy you enjoyed it that year, and that it made you discover our Vin Chaud (mulled wine), that's definitely a seasonal little joy for me too. For the French ones around here (or if you have access to a liquor store that sells it), the "mountain" version of it, from Savoie, is to add a few spoons of Génépi herbs liquor to the mix. It's a bit spicy (more "herby" really) and sweet, and it adds a little something extra to the mix. Especially when the red wine is a bit strong, it softens the preparation a bit.

    • Reply Erin December 10, 2014 at 2:42 am

      I was living in Macon at the time, so I was close! The liquor sounds like a delicious addition!

      1
  • Reply Marichelle December 10, 2014 at 2:12 pm

    What a perfect idea! I'm definitely going to make the sachets – they'll make perfect gift toppers this year!

  • Reply Kathryn Sutton December 11, 2014 at 1:49 pm

    I was in Lyon for a few months a couple of years ago and vin chaud at the Christmas markets and especially at the fete is definitely the best way to experience it! Might have to whip a batch up and relive my lyonnais days!

  • Reply Lisa-Marie December 11, 2014 at 7:55 pm

    Mulled wine is my very favourite. I've had it in France, NY, Poland, and at every available UK Christmas Market possible.

    I also make out family recipe every year. We add Orange juice and brandy. 🙂

  • Reply Eileen December 16, 2014 at 6:03 pm

    I would certainly not mind a few glasses of this wine on some future chilly evening! Sounds delicious and warming.

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