a little sip will do

I have been trying to add a post with pictures about my vacation week, but can't get the photos to upload yet so I will postpone that. But in its place, I am offering up a recipe for a tasty winter drink that I served last night and also over the holidays. It is for a mulled wine, which is really perfect for life on the tundra. Even appealing to non-wine drinkers, and I have found that men like it as well as women, so a good way to spread the wine love. I first tasted mulled wine when I was in Sweden, during a trip to Stockholm to attend the Nobel Prize Festival in December, 1971. So it always brings back some memories of that time. Good memories.

Mulled Wine

1 quart of cranberry juice

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

6 whole nutmeg

6 whole allspice

1 bottle of red wine, I have used merlot and cabernet with equal success

Mix the juice and brown sugar in a saucepan. Place the cinnamon sticks in the pan, and the spices in a tea ball in the pan. Heat until it simmers and continue warming without boiling for about 5-10 minutes. Then add the wine and bring back to a simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the spices and serve. When serving to a group, I prepare it ahead of their arrival and put it in an airpot which keeps it nice and warm but easy to serve.