Vin Chaud (French)

I tried this delicious drink for the first time when I was in Amsterdam.  There it is called gluhwein, and it is also a popular winter drink in France, and really most of Europe.  Traditionally it's made of red wine, but you can also do it with white wine, apple cider, or apple juice for those who prefer no alcohol.  Even if you don't like wine a whole lot you might like this since you add various fruits and spices to the drink.  My recipe is a variation of one from Ina Garten from the Food Network.

I found the original recipe had too much apple cider in it and sweetened it just a little too much.  If you don't want to buy all the spices separately you can also use a premixed mulling spice mix.  You might just need to still add the star anise and juniper berries.  Most just heat this drink up in a pot, but you could also do it in a crock pot to keep it warm for a party. Just don't let it come to a full boil or the alcohol will start to cook off. There are many ways to make this yummy hot treat, so feel free to add or take away whatever things you think you might like.  Maybe experiment with different fruit or add some juices.  Some recipes even like to put slivered almonds in their wine.  If you find a new combo you like, please share it in the comments section so we can all try it : )

Vin Chaud (Hot Spiced Wine, aka Mulled Wine)

750 ml sweet red wine (1 bottle, Cabernet Sauvignon is good)
2 cups apple cider or juice
1/4 cup honey

Juice and zest of 1 orange
2 cinnamon sticks
3 star anise
4 whole cloves
1 Tablespoon juniper berries
1/2 tsp pure vanilla
1/3 cup cognac (optional)  
                                                                                  
Mix all ingredients in a large pot. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over a medium heat. Do not allow the wine to boil or else the alcohol will cook out of the wine. The mulled wine is hot enough when the sugar has dissolved. If desired, add the Cognac to the saucepan when the sugar has dissolved and ladle the mulled wine through a tea strainer (or colander) into punch cups, mugs or other serving dish.

Note:  If you want you can also do something fun for putting cloves in the wine.  Take a small orange or clementine and then stick the orange skin with a knife and poke the end of the clove into the hole so the bulb part is showing.  You can have fun with it and make designs or just do them randomly.  Some people even like to wrap ribbon around the orange and use them as ornaments.