Mulled wine, cider adds flare to the holidays

Holiday drinks are as much a part of the festive season as cookies, candy canes and tinsel. From fruit punches to eggnog, these party drinks really add a special flare to holiday gatherings. I love mulled drinks.

The spice aroma dispensed in the house is reason enough to put together a recipe for such a drink.

For those opting for the non-alcoholic, there is your classic New England Spiced Cider. For those that are looking to warm their bellies with a little liquor, there are mulled wines.

Mulled drinks simply mean heated and spiced. Mulled wines date back to Hippocrates’ time. The famous doctor declared the drink very healthy and more sanitary than their drinking water. The warm drink would nourish as well as keep people from freezing in the colder months.

Recipes for mulled wines are found all over the world. Some use white wine, some red and some cider. I read one recipe that added heavy cream. Eggs are often added for richness, as is brandy.

Most of the recipes call for sweet spices like cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg and often some citrus as well. Probably the most well known and often drank Christmas beverage is eggnog. Its tradition as a spiced, rich beverage makes it a social drink that adds merriment wherever it is served. It came from the Old World where it was made with milk, eggs and wine, similar to a mulled wine. After being brought to America, the wine was replaced with rum, which is how it is usually made today.

My tastes steer me clear of eggnog but the smell and spicy flavor of a mulled wine bring out the jolliest holiday cheer. I have included a recipe for both mulled wine and mulled cider. These are a great social beverage to offer friends or carolers admiring holiday lights, the night’s sky or falling snow.