Happy Holiday Season! I know that it is just barely almost October but if you are going to plan a trip to attend Christmas markets then you need to know this information before planning your trip! I mean there are only 12 Saturdays left before Christmas and the markets start in November!

For more tips you can always visit my blog post I wrote on the subject by clicking here

Wine of the Week: Mulled Wine!

This week I decided I was going to get into the holiday spirit and share a recipe, still wine-based, for a great holiday drink that will keep you warm all holiday season long!

Mulled Wine Ingredients:

To begin, gather your ingredients. For this mulled wine recipe, you will need:

• Wine: No need to splurge on a pricey bottle — any basic bottle of dry red or white wine will do. (Or if you’re making a big batch, this is a great recipe to break out the boxed wine too!)
• Fresh oranges: One of which we will slice and mull with the wine, one of which you can slice and use as a garnish if you’d like. (To minimize bitterness, feel free to peel the orange before simmering it in the wine.)
• Cinnamon: I love making mulled wine with cinnamon sticks, but you could whisk in some ground cinnamon if that’s what you have on hand.
• Mulling spices: These vary in mulled wine from country to country, but whole cloves and star anise are my favorites, plus perhaps a few cardamom pods.
• Sweetener: Feel free to add your favorite sweetener to taste. Sugar is classic, but I prefer to naturally sweeten mine with either maple syrup or honey.
• Extra liqueur (optional): Similar to sangria, it’s also traditional to spike your mulled wine with an extra bit of liqueur, if you’d like. I like to add a bit of brandy, bourbon, or cognac, but any favorite liqueur will do here. (Or you can skip the extra liqueur if you prefer.)

How To Make Mulled Wine:

To make mulled wine, simply…

1. Combine ingredients. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and give them a quick stir.
2. Simmer. Heat until the wine just barely reaches a simmer over medium-high heat. (Avoid letting it bubble in any way — you don’t want to boil off the alcohol.) 
3. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours.
4. Strain and season. Using a fine-mesh strainer, remove and discard the orange slices, cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and ginger. Give the mulled wine a taste, and stir in your desired amount of extra sweetener if needed.
5. Serve. Serve warm in heatproof mugs, topped with your favorite garnishes.

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