Friday, November 17, 2006

Get the Mulled wine out Mother, I'm freezing

Cold, cold, cold. The wind is whipping down the valley and slicing right through anyone who gets in its way. Back from a lovely coffee morning with Sharon from church and snuggled up in front of a blazing wood fire with Lily and Eden munching on buttered pasta and ham with fried aubergines Yum. Brambly Hedge is on the video - The Secret Stair and the mice are tucking into their mid winter feast and I am just starting to thaw out. My feet are tingling. Thought I'd do a spot of blogging before my cup of tea and onto the work of the day.

Its a mulled wine and chestnut evening tonight if I am any judge. I think we'll have lamb koftas and savoury rice with the last of the aubergine dressed in tumeric. Chestnuts and mulled wine to fill up any gaps left over with some toasted marshmallows for something sweet. Lovely.

Recipe for Mulled Wine
I have perfected this recipe over many years and I think it is as close to perfect as I'm ever going to get anything

Bottle of inexpensive red wine. ( I use the French table wine from Tescos but the Bulgarian cabernet sauvignon is good too

1 orange, sliced into half inch slices, dont use the top or bottom slice as there is too much pith in proportion to flesh and pith makes it taste bitter. (I will resist the urge to make any further comment here)

Brandy or port or sherry in order of preference. If you want to make falling down water then use all three. Fill a large mug half full with chosen plonk - Tesco's own tawny port is lovely for this - and top up to full with water. Add another mug of water or else you'll be asleep by eight.

Soft brown sugar to taste. I use about 1 or 2 tablespoons. Don't use too much or else it will start to taste medicinal, weird I know but there it is.


5 cloves

1 large cinnamon stick. Tap the stick very gently with a wooden spoon. It releases the scent of the spice into the wine.
1 decent sized piece of whole dried ginger root. This can be difficult to get hold of. I got mine in a health food shop in Aberystwyth, Do not be tempted to use powdered ginger, it clouds the wine and it hangs around on the tongue too. If you cant get it whole dried, use fresh but then make it a large piece.

Put all the ingredients in a large sauce pan and heat very gently until steam starts to curl slowly from the pan. Strain and serve in heat proof glasses.

DON'T DRINK THIS AND DRIVE AS IT IS STRONG STUFF!

Roasted chestnuts are the desired accompaniment with this but gingerbread is good too.

Right, I'm off to the kitchen to make some serious comfort food.












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