Vin chaud (Mulled Wine) is a favorite holiday drink in the Christmas markets and snowy villages of France and Germany, where it’s known as Gluehwein. Many recipes exist, some adding brandy or porto to the final product, some use lemon juice instead of orange juice, and some suggest more sugar than others for a sweeter drink. Recently, one version I had contained raisins and almonds pleasantly swirling in my cup, for added crunch. What follows is my own personal favorite recipe, combining several different methods and composed after a few seasons of trial and error.

Vin Chaud

1 bottle of red wine (I like to use beaujolais nouveau, which is still often sitting in the markets at this time of year, or else a bottle of burgundy works well, or merlot.

60 grams brown sugar

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg (preferably freshly ground

1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

1 bay leaf

juice of half an orange or tangerine

peel of half an orange or tangerine

Pour the wine into a non-reactive saucepan and put on low heat. Cut the peel off the orange and using a mallet or the back of a knife, lightly pound the peel to release the oils. Add to the wine. Add the juice, sugar, spices, and stir. Let simmer for at least 20 minutes, until the wine is infused with the spices. Strain into mugs or irish coffee glasses and serve hot with a cinnamon stick and a slice of orange floating on top if you so desire. Just the thing after a long day on the slopes or while strolling through the christmas market…