How to Make Mulled Wine

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp loose-leaf tea (or six teabags)


• 1 litre of boiling water


• 1 whole orange


• 2-3 cloves


• 1 stick of cinnamon


• 1 bottle of red wine


• sugar to taste


• lemon slices to serve

Preparation

The most important thing to remember about mulled wine is that it must not boil! Otherwise you lose all the warming effects of the wine and most of the flavour.

The second most important thing is not to use an aluminium pan. There are fewer and fewer of them around anyway. Go for stainless steel or something non-stick.

Cut the orange in thick slices and place in the pan. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves and tea.

Add the water and bring to the boil. You want the spiced tea to be very strong. Strong enough, at any rate, to make your mouth feel furry.

When it's at that stage, turn the heat down and add the wine. Stir and add sugar to taste. Just heat it enough for the sugar to dissolve.

Serve with sliced lemon and mince pies maybe in one of these ingenious thermo glasses from Bodum. They're not just classy to look at. They keep the wine hot, while the outside of the glass stays cool enough to be held. And unless you're trying to warm your freezing cold hands on your glass or mug, that has to be a good thing!

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