Mulled Wine

Season:

Laura Tribble, Former Bulk Buyer, 16th & Madison

I have a new favorite word: Hygge. Pronounced “hYOO-guh,” Hygge is a Norwegian word meaning “well-being,” and a cultural concept used in Denmark to help people get through the dark, cold days of winter. The Danes embrace Hygge each year by things such as lighting candles in their homes, gathering with friends for dinner, and conversing over steamy hot drinks. It’s basically a way of surrounding yourself with enough cozy and happy things to make it through winter.

One way I plan on embracing Hygge is making some mulled wine. Not only is it super easy, and requires just a few ingredients from our bulk herbs department, but it will make your home smell so delicious, you won’t feel bad about not leaving it for the entire weekend. 

Ingredients:

• 1 (750 ml) bottle of dry red wine (You don’t need to splurge on a bottle of wine. Try our Canyon Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon, just $4.99 and perfect for mulling.)
• 1 orange, sliced into rounds
• ¼ cup honey
• 8 cloves
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise
• ¼ cup Brandy, optional (Clear Creek Apple Brandy is a great choice!)

Tip: Feel free to play around with the spices. Allspice berries, cardamom pods, and pinches of ground nutmeg are great additions.

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in a pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Make sure you don’t boil—you don’t want to boil the alcohol out.
2. Lower heat to medium-low and let simmer for at least 15 minutes. Feel free to let it simmer for up to three hours for extra flavor and extra Hygge.
3. Strain and serve hot (you can bundle the spices in cheesecloth to make them easier to remove before serving).

So invite some friends over, share some mulled wine, and spread the word about Hygge. I promise we can make it through winter without spending all day in bed watching Netflix and waiting for spring.

If you try this recipe, share your version with us on social media!

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