If I am not mistaken, last year I wrote an article on the Christmas atmosphere, this year I would like to talk about Vin Brulè/mulled wine and give the recipe, because some of my students sometimes ask for it. Mulled wine is a delicious aromatic drink prepared with red wine and enjoyed piping hot. This preparation is typical of Italian and central European mountain areas, where it is habitually enjoyed in the winter: a hot and restoring treat on the coldest of days
INGREDIENTS
Red wine4 cups (1 l) -full bodied
Sugar½ cup (100 g)
Lemon peel1 -untreated
Orange peel1 -untreated
Cinnamon sticks
2 Cloves
8 Juniper berries
5 Star anise
1 Nutmeg to taste
To make mulled wine, prepare all the spices you'll need for the recipe, then thinly slice the lemon and orange peel, without removing the white part, which would add a bitter flavor to the preparation. Place the sugar in a steel saucepan that is not too tall , add the cinnamon sticks, the juniper berries, the cloves and the star anise. Now add the citrus peel and last of all, the full bodied red wine. Place the saucepan on the fire and slowly bring to the boil; simmer on a low flame for 5 minutes and stir until all the sugar dissolves.
Now bring a flame to the surface of the wine: you can use a candle or a wooden skewer; be careful not to burn yourself: this will set the alcohol in the wine on fire: wait for it to burn itself out. When the fire goes out, filter the mulled wine using a very fine meshed colander and serve piping hot. Enjoy your mulled wine!
Mulled wine can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days at most. Heat it in a small saucepan before serving.
….AND MERRY XMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!