Ever thought about making mulled wine for yourself and your guests and then decided it was just too much work? Gathering all the ingredients….. Cutting things up….. Worrying about fridge space for all the ingredients given all the other food you have in the fridge over the holiday season….
Our quick and easy solution(s)? We have two simple ideas:
Idea #1: Our first idea is to pour a bottle wine into a pot, add in a scoop of your favourite seasonal TEA blend, bring the wine ALMOST to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for 15 min (to several hours, depending on how long it takes you to drink it.) Add honey, maple syrup or sugar to sweeten as desired. If you happen to have some brandy on hand, you could can add a dash of that as well.
How much should I add? One scoop of TEA per 750 ml bottle of wine should about do it. (The amount you would add to make a pot of tea.)
Idea #2: Want to lower risk of the alcohol boiling away, and enjoy the Mulled Wine flavour any time of day with minimal fuss? Why not try our SECOND simple, quick solution….
Any time you feel like a nice, warm drink, boil some water, and make your tea as usual. You might want to let it steep a little bit longer than normal because you will be adding wine to it…
Find some nice large cozy mugs, and add a good portion of robust red wine such as a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Syrah, or a Cab-Merlot blend.
Pour the hot tea over the wine in your mug. Top it off with a small spoon of honey, and a dash of brandy if you have it on hand.
If you want to get fancy, have some orange slices handy for a garnish, and perhaps add a dash of apple cider for some zing.
This recipe doesn’t need a lot of planning, and doesn’t need a lot of space in the kitchen to prepare. It is also very easy to whip up on demand. The benefit of using dried ingredients… i.e. Natural Teas with actual ingredients in a dried form… is that these flavours keep easily on the shelf and can be enjoyed over the course of several months as opposed to days. (ala Fresh ingredients). Enjoy.
What Are the Key Ingredients In Mulled Wine?
#1. Wine, of course. When making mulled wine you can certainly get away with using a less expensive red wine as your feature. Perhaps get yourself a box of Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon from your local liquor store. It stores well and there will be plenty on hand, as this drink is sure to be a hit this holiday season.
#2. Orange. Either fresh oranges left to soak in the pot…. or perhaps try a TEA that features Orange as a key ingredient. At Teas and Weaves, we happen to have several TEAs with natural dried orange chips which open up to a wonderful orange flavour with the addition of hot liquid.
#3. Apple. A few fresh apples cut up in slices to soak are another key feature of a mulled wine. At Teas and Weaves we happen to have several seasonal TEA blends that feature BOTH apples and oranges in dried form that open up nicely when hot liquid is added.
#4. Spices. What seasonal spices do you enjoy wafting around the house in the holiday season? A few key ingredients in mulled wine are Cinnamon and Cloves. Some people also add Ginger and Star Anise (Licorice flavour). Guess what? We have several seasonal TEAs in stock that feature Oranges, Apples, and seasonal spices!! You can choose the flavour that speaks to you the most. Or try out our TEA samplers if you can’t decide.
#5. Sweetness. Everyone has a personal preference over the type and amount of sweetness they enjoy. Honey, Maple Syrup, Candy Cane Pieces, and just plain old sugar are known additions to a mulled wine recipe. We highly recommend you add a little, give it a taste, and add more if/when needed. Sometimes the amount of sweetness desired depends on the time of day and/or mood you are in. Experiment. (Looking for Honey? We have REAL honey in stock. Click here.)
Here is a link to our entire TEA Menu if you would like to see more teas on hand. Below is a snapshot of our Seasonal Tea menu you will find when you come visit. See you soon!
