You may be interested in making a beverage that you can serve at intimate dinners or large gatherings. Consider making a pot of mulled red wine. It’s easy to make a little, or a lot, and also easy to lend your own distinctive touch to its flavor.
First, you’ll want to start with a bottle of red wine. Any red wine will do, but it’s best if it has a deep full fruit flavor. This will lend itself well to the final product. You could choose anything from a spicy, floral zinfandel, to a sweeter pinot noir. And don’t think you have to go all out. If need be you can buy a box of some really sweet wine. We would also recommend a bottle of brandy.
Next, gather the rest of the ingredients:
Fruit: You’ll need at least one lemon and one orange. Feel free to experiment with apples, plums, or even some raisins.
Spices: You’ll need nutmeg, cinnamon sticks and some fresh ginger. For something interesting try some pumpkin pie spice and some bitters.
Options: Get some herbal or citrus tea. Raspberry Zinger works well. Also you can use sugar, but it isn’t necessary.
Here’s a recipe for Mulled wine that serves 4 to 6 people depending on how much they like to drink.
INGREDIENTS
2 lemons and oranges
1 bottle of wine
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup brandy
4 cinnamon sticks
2 dashes of bitters
4 cups herbal or fruit tea
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh ginger, sliced in small thin round slices
DIRECTIONS:
1) Put the wine and brandy into a large metal pot, and heat on low, very slowly. DO NOT let your mixture come to a boil. The flavor of the wine and spice combination will impart and deteriorate if it boils.
2) When the wine becomes warm add the fruit, cut up into slices, along with the spices, cinnamon sticks and ginger. Increase the heat to medium high and gently stir the ingredients together.
3) Decrease the heat to low and add the hot tea. This will soften the flavor, and raise the temperature of the mix.
4) If you feel the mixture needs it, use the cup of sugar to taste. Some candied ginger will also give it a bit of a kick.
5) Leave the mixture on a low heat for an hour if possible and let the spices and wine combine.
6) After a half hour, cover the pot and keep covered until you’re ready to serve.
NOTES:
If you’re making the wine for a large group, exponentially increase the recipe depending on how many people will be partaking. And don’t be afraid to experiment with a little pumpkin pie spice, some fresh or frozen cherries, some lime or just about whatever suits your tastes. If you want to give it a bit more of a kick add some Drambuie, or Gran Marnier instead of the brandy.
If you really want to try something that used to be tradition when serving mulled wine, take a clean fireplace poker, and leave it in the fireplace till the tip glows red. If your wine has cooled you may dip the tip into the pot or into your glass and let that lend a distinctive flavor to your mulled wine. WARNING! Do not attempt the latter if you have consumed more than one glass of the mulled wine unless you are fond of lawsuits, third degree burns, and having to explain to the police how you permanently maimed a party guest. Enjoy!
Mulled wine is a great beverage for gatherings small or large. If you’re planning a special occasion, our custom wine glasses can add a nice finishing touch to the event. Our restaurant-quality glasses can be engraved with the names of your guests, or the name of the event. Engraving something like “Debbie’s Wine Party” on our personalized wine glasses would make for an awesome parting gift that is sure to make your gathering memorable!
***Grabbed from: http://www.thetipsygrape.com/articles/How-To-Tips-and-Info/how-to-make-mulled-wine