Mulled wine has been enjoyed for thousands of years; now it's a holiday tradition. It's simply wine that's been slightly sweetened and spiced, but there are a few tricks to making it well. (For a similar hot holiday drink that's nonalcoholic, see "Make Mulled Cider.") This recipe serves five.
Instructions
1. Pour the wine into a nonreactive saucepan and place over low heat.
2. Cut the zest off half an orange with a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler so that only the orange part is removed. If some of the bitter white pith is still attached to the zest, cut it off and discard it.
3. Lightly pound the pieces of zest with the back of a knife or a mallet to release the aromatic oils. Add the zest to the wine. Squeeze some juice in, too.
4. Add the remaining ingredients.
5. Stir occasionally. Do not let the wine come to a boil.
6. When the wine begins to steam and is very hot, it is ready to serve.
7. Shut off the heat and ladle the wine out into mugs or glasses, leaving the seasonings behind.
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