Get Mulled This Weekend

3 Aug

The word ‘mulled’ meant all sorts of things when I was a Hastings teen in the 90s but today it refers to whipping up something warm, spicy and deliciously boozy to slake your own thirst or to offer anyone who pops in because you’ve got a great fireplace, a fridge full of nice cheese and a massive TV. Yet one shouldn’t feel pressured into opening your prized and pricey reds because you can still slake their thirsts by doing something rather superb with those cheeky cleanskins you’ve hidden out in the shed. I’ve popped my favourite recipe below.

Now the history of mulled wine dates back to medieval times where it was thought to be extremely healthy. Not surprising considering the drinking water at the time was seriously unsanitary. These heated, alcoholic drinks helped sustain their health through the cold winter months – and probably helped them forget how miserable medieval times actually were.

Rules of Mulling…

Any red wine will do, but don’t spend too much because you’re going to change the taste considerably. So long as the wine has good, fruity characters and nice, solid body to it then it will be perfect for mulling.
Never let the wine boil. If it’s boiled, it’s spoiled. The flavour of the wine/spice combination will deteriorate if the mixture reaches boiling point, so keep an eye on things.
I use brown sugar because it can counter the tangy character that mulled wine sometimes gets after being reheated. If it’s too strong, some people prefer to dilute the mulled wine with herbal or citrus tea, which softens the flavour – but I reckon adding a little water is enough.

Mulled Wine (serves 4 grownups)

2 lemons

2 oranges

1 x bottle of affordably decent red wine

½ teaspoon nutmeg

5 x whole cloves

½ cup brandy or cognac

1 cup brown sugar

4 x large cinnamon sticks

1 x cup orange juice

Instructions

cut oranges + lemons into slices
pour the red wine & orange juice into a saucepan and gently heat
add fruit, nutmeg, cloves and brandy and cinnamon sticks
keep an eye on the mixture and wait until it becomes hot to the touch
at this point you could blend in the sugar and adjust the taste with water or herbal tea if need be.

I find preparing the mixture earlier and pouring into glasses or mugs to reheat for 1 minute in the microwave when needed, does wonders for the flavour of the mulled wine.

So there you have it – have a go at making mulled wine; it will surely warm the cockles on a winter’s day.

Kim Manunui

Hi, I’m Kim and I work with a great team to help individuals, as well as small and not so small businesses get their message, product and services to the world using digital media and creating wonderful websites that don’t cost the earth.

I was born in Canada, and grew up around Vancouver and the mountains of British Columbia. My love of pristine environments led me to New Zealand and eventually to the mountains, lakes and rivers of the central North Island which is home. My family’s heritage is here, and it’s from here that Korio traverses the planet.

The digital world is never static and neither are we.

And I say ‘we’ because I work with an awesome group of talented people who I gather together as required to complete a project. Whatever your business, not-for-profit or individual needs are we gather the best team to get the job done.

Collaboratively we are creative, share sustainable values and work hard for great outcomes because that’s the buzz of satisfaction that drives us.

If you have an audience and market to reach, we can make that happen. Creative design, words that work and smart behind the scenes stuff that cuts through the online noise. We’ll design your website and then build it. We’ll manage the content as well as all your hosting needs. We can handle your online advertising so you get noticed,
and we’ll manage your social media presence so you get the clicks, likes and engagement to grow your business. All within the budget you set, because none of this needs to cost the earth. And the job doesn’t stop when your website goes live. We are your virtual business partner.

https://www.korio.co.nz