Cold weather makes a near universal case for hot drinks. Add in a festive season and mulled wine quickly enters the chat.
The heady, warming drink dates to Roman antiquity and remains a seasonal staple. In markets across Europe, steaming mugs have various monikers — “vin chaud” in France, “glogg” in Sweden, “glühwein” in Austria and Germany — frequently made by heating together red wine, a sweetener such as sugar or honey, and spices. Some are fortified with boozier spirits, others dotted with plump dried fruits and nuts, and often the fragrant result smells better than it tastes.
To avoid a potpourri-adjacent drink, reconsider what it means to mull in the first place. To resort briefly to a timeworn wedding toast opener: Webster’s New World College Dictionary defines the word “mull” as a transitive verb, meaning “to heat, sweeten and flavor with spices (wine, cider, ale, etc.).” While classic mulling spices — cinnamon sticks, cloves, ginger, allspice, star anise — tend toward the baking set, the act of mulling refers less to a static mix of spices and more to the technique.
Recipes: Mulled Wine | Mulled Beer | Mulled Cider
But a shift toward less-obvious choices opens up a modern world of mulling: Earthy, tart and often relegated to savory applications, whole coriander seeds impart a citrusy, floral flavor and fragrance. A smattering of black peppercorns infuse them with darker fruit notes as well as heat. Bay leaves add an herbal, aromatic flavor.
Diaspora Co., a spice company, uses fennel seeds in its chai masala, which lend a warm sweetness. “It’s a nontraditional addition,” said Sana Javeri Kadri, Diaspora’s founder and chief executive, “but we found that when you have that anise-y sweetness you actually end up needing less sugar.”
Opt for fresh, whole spices rather than preground, as they retain more of their oil content, which Ms. Javeri Kadri says is central to unlocking deep flavor. “I would compare a fresh spice to a peak-season tomato,” she said. “You’re getting it at its maximum potential.” To fully activate that depth, warm your spices; she recommends dry-toasting them before adding any liquid to draw out as much flavor as possible. While mulled wine often uses red, switching to white results in a lighter, brighter drink. This recipe features a combination of dry white wine and blanc vermouth warmed with toasted coriander seeds, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, allspice and bay leaves. A final, fortifying pour of elderflower liqueur feels elegant and festive while adding a layer of sweetness.
And don’t stop at mulling wine. This modernized take on mulled cider uses with coriander, black pepper, cloves, star anise, ginger and cardamom pods, both seeds and green casing, lightly crushed. “A lot of the menthol-y and slightly grassier, more herbal notes actually live in the pod,” Ms. Javeri Kadri said. Lastly, an unorthodox — and optional — pour of fruity, tropical pineapple juice, feels both fresh and familiar. Serve as is, or stir in an ounce of whiskey or amaro just before drinking.
Or mull your next beer. The use of more traditional mulling spices, including cinnamon, allspice, cloves and star anise, pulls the lesser-known beverage toward the familiar, while maple syrup helps take off the bitter edge. A spirited pour of Cognac lifts the booziness, and an ounce of fresh orange juice helps to both sweeten and brighten the hot brew.
Inherently batched, pots of mulled wine, cider or beer lend themselves perfectly to entertaining: The drink is ready when guests arrive and perfumes the house long before their entrance. To make hosting even easier, Ms. Javeri Kadri recommends keeping your mulled drink warm in the slow cooker, imbuing the occasion with “very hippy ’70s mom vibes, but it works.”
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