And a mulled apple cider mocktail, because everyone deserves a warm festive drink
I have been thinking about The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore in a very specific way since I finished it. Not about the romance (I am lying, I am absolutely still thinking about the romance). About the feeling of the book. That feeling of being somewhere cold and quiet and green-smelling, with someone warm nearby and the particular comfort of knowing a small town is humming along around you.
That feeling wants a hot drink.
It specifically wants mulled wine. Or if wine is not your thing tonight, a spiced apple cider that does the same job without the alcohol. I have included both because I have opinions about festive drinks being accessible to everyone.
Both versions are simple. Both smell incredible. Both are exactly right for reading by.
Mulled wine
Serves 4-6.
What you will need
- 1 bottle (750ml) red wine (a Shiraz or Merlot works well; no need for anything expensive)
- 250ml apple juice or fresh orange juice
- 2 tbsp caster sugar or honey (adjust to taste)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 star anise
- 1 orange, sliced into rounds
- 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed (optional but excellent)
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
- 1 strip of orange peel (optional, for a more intense citrus note)
To serve: extra orange slice, a cinnamon stick, star anise for garnish.
How to make it
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir gently to dissolve the sugar.
Heat slowly until the liquid is steaming and very hot but not boiling. This should take about 10-15 minutes on a low heat. You want to coax the spices rather than blast them. Do not let it boil. Boiling drives off the alcohol and flattens the flavour.
Taste and adjust: more sugar if you want it sweeter, a squeeze of orange juice if you want more brightness.
Remove from heat. Leave to steep for 5 minutes, then strain into a heatproof jug or ladle directly into mugs, using a fine sieve to catch the spices.
Serve immediately with a fresh orange slice and a cinnamon stick in each mug.
Mulled apple cider (alcohol-free)
Serves 4-6.
This uses non-alcoholic apple cider (the sparkling kind, from the supermarket drinks aisle) plus apple juice as a base. It has the same warmth and spice as the wine version without any alcohol.
What you will need
- 500ml non-alcoholic sparkling apple cider
- 500ml apple juice (cloudy apple juice gives the best flavour)
- 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 star anise
- 1 orange, sliced into rounds
- 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
To serve: orange slice, cinnamon stick, a small sprig of rosemary if you are feeling festive.
How to make it
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring to dissolve the honey, until steaming and very hot but not boiling.
Steep for 5-10 minutes off the heat. Strain and serve in mugs with your garnishes.
Note: the cider will lose its fizz during heating and that is fine. The result is still light and fresh-tasting compared to the wine version, with a beautiful apple sweetness underneath all the spice.
Cosy Kitchen Notes
Do not boil either version. The heat is there to steep the spices and warm the drink, not to cook it. A low, patient heat gives you the best result.
Wine choice. You do not need an expensive bottle. A mid-range Shiraz, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon from the local bottle shop is completely right for this. The spices are doing a lot of the flavour work. Avoid very dry, tannic reds as they can turn a bit harsh.
Make it ahead. Both versions can be made in advance and reheated gently. Store the strained liquid (without the spices) in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat slowly over low heat.
Sweetness is personal. Start with the quantities listed and taste after the first 5 minutes of heating. Add more sugar or honey if you need it. Some wines are drier and need a little more sweetness to balance.
The garnish matters more than it should. An orange slice and a cinnamon stick in the mug makes it feel like an occasion. For a table of people, set out a small board of garnishes (star anise, cinnamon sticks, orange wheels, maybe a rosemary sprig) and let everyone do their own. It is a whole thing and it is excellent.
Spice variations. The cardamom is optional but adds a beautiful floral warmth. You can also add a vanilla bean, a strip of lemon peel, a few black peppercorns for a slightly more complex result. Keep experimenting until you find your version.
Serve with gingerbread. Specifically the gingerbread men recipe also on the blog this week. The combination is, I am not exaggerating, exactly right. They are made for each other.
The Last Sip
Mulled wine has this thing where the smell of it hits you before the drink does. The cinnamon and star anise and orange, that particular warm complicated sweetness. It is the smell of December evenings and fairy lights and slow evenings with a book.
Or in this case, July evenings with a book, which is when we actually need it here.
The Christmas Tree Farm gave me a craving for this specific feeling: the feeling of being somewhere green-smelling and quiet with warmth coming at you from multiple directions. The book delivers that feeling in spades. The mulled wine is just the physical version.
Make a batch. Pour yourself a mug. Put on something cosy. Open the book.
That is the whole plan and it is a very good one.
Both recipes serve beautifully with the gingerbread men recipe also on the blog this week.
Read the full Christmas Tree Farm review for the Dream Harbor book that inspired this recipe.
