The holidays are the time of year when we seek to elevate our experiences. The addition of a lighted tree, candles, and rich foods that we set aside for holiday indulgences are hallmarks of the festive season. Firepot Mulling Spices add a special holiday flair to your favorite wine or cider for gatherings with friends and family, and mulled wine and hot mulled cider give a certain je ne sais quoi to cold winter nights.
It's that time of year! We savor the sights, sounds and smells of the holidays. Mulling spices are a quintessential part of holiday celebrations around the world. Traditionally served with either wine or apple cider, there are many ways to incorporate the warm spice blend into your holiday cooking. For an attractive way to infuse mulling spices into cocktails, brandy, sangria, or vodka, rum and whiskey, mix mulling spices with water and pour the mixture into an ice cube tray. Freeze them, and drop them in a drink when you are ready to serve. Try infusing about 2 Tablespoons of mulling spices in a tea infuser. Pour the infused water into a saucepan with about a cup and a half of maple syrup or honey. Simmer the mixture stirring occasionally for about five minutes.It's a perfect addition to pancakes, waffles, or other French toast. You can get creative and add water-infused mulling spice to pumpkin recipes as a substitute for pumpkin spice. Add it to cheesecakes, spice cookies, apple cakes or even hot cocoa. And if you love the scent as much as we do, a simple bowl of mulling spice potpourri will add the aroma of holiday spirit anywhere you wish.
One of our favorite attributes of mulling spices is the full sensory experience they provide. The blend of wine or cider, spices and citrus - and maybe even a shot of brandy or cognac - are a sensory celebration for both your nose and your tongue. Triggering multiple taste sensors on your tongue all at the same time, Firepot Mulling Spices are an alluring mix of organic cloves, cinnamon, orange peel, peppercorn and coriander seed. One of the best parts of making mulled wine or cider is the aroma of cinnamon, cloves and orange as it fills your home, adding to the charm of the holiday.
Mulling spices have been around for centuries...probably as long as wine itself. In ancient Greece and Rome, they often spiced according to various recipes, in some cases to make lesser quality wines more palatable and in other cases - simply because they enjoyed the warmth of a rich red wine with the comfort of exotic spices. It quickly rose in popularity and eventually became treasured for its Ayurvedic properties. Charles Dickens was known to enjoy mulled wine, hence its appearance in A Christmas Carol - a move that forever solidified our association of mulled wine with Christmas.
Traditional mulled drinks are extremely easy to make. Choose your foundation, either a rich red wine or a bright apple cider. Pour them into a slow cooker or in a pan on the stove and slowly warm them to steaming. You can ladle it directly from the pot into your mug. You'll enjoy our recipes for both the Firepot Mulled Wine and Hot Mulled Cider, and if you’re looking for new and exotic treats to serve with your spiced beverages, our Holiday Recipe Guide contains 17 of our favorites from around the world. You will also enjoy our new Chai Holiday Recipe Guide with a tasty twist on holiday classics: recipes like Chai Apple Bread, Chai Tiramisu and Chai Sweet Potatoes!
Whatever holiday you celebrate this season, may it be filled with the warmth and richness of laughter, good food and lasting memories. If this last year has taught us anything, it’s how to return to simplicity and find beauty in the ordinary. So as we lift our spiced wine high, we toast to peace and joy in the coming year.