RCP: Mulled red wine.

This isn't my usual way of enjoying red wine, but we are having guests this weekend who liked this version two years ago. The recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated for November/December 2002, and appeared on Amazon Daily today.

Mulled Red WIne

Ingredients:

3 3-inch cinnamon sticks
10 cloves
10 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon allspice berries
2 bottles full-bodied red wine
4 2-by-1/2-inch strips orange zest
1/2 cup sugar
2-4 tablespoons brandy (to taste)

Directions:

1. Toast spices in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add wine, zest, and sugar. Cover partially and simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low once sugar has dissolved, and simmer one hour. Do not boil.

2. Strain wine. Return to saucepan, discarding spices. Stir in 2 tablespoons brandy. Taste and add up to 2 tablespoons more sugar and 2 tablespoons more brandy, if desired.

Serve immediately in mugs.

[Robin Garr]

Simmer one hour!? Bob, what wine would you use in this potion?

It seems to me that it wouldn't be a good idea to subject any decent vino to that kind of abuse. In the unlikely event that I wanted to make a "wine drinker's mulled wine," I'm thinking I'd steep the aromatics in the brandy overnight to extract their flavors, then blend all the ingredients together and heat the wine just to the boil, then stop, strain and serve.

Just a thought ...

Yeah, I was surprised too, but Cook's Illustrated wrote it that way and my brother loved it -- still does he told me yesterday confirming his attendance -- and who am I to disagree -- I loved the smell but never drank much of it.

I've got a pack of mulled wine seasoning I bought some years ago -- at Biltmore according to the package. It calls for an hour of simmering as well. Do you suppose they are going for the aromas in the house?

I like your idea for personal consumption.

I made mulled wine (and cider, too) for an open house just this past Saturday. I used a "Mountain Burgundy" in a half gallon bottle, from Almaden, I think it was. It turned out to be very popular. I, too, used sugar and most of the flavorings you mentioned, Bob but I added sweet vermouth, not brandy. I did not use peppercorns but your mention of them is very intriguing and I might give them a try and see what happens.

How long did you simmer, Jon? Thanks.

Well, Bob, the pot was on the stove at about noon for a 2:00 start to the open house, never getting close to boiling, of course. That was sure long enough to get all the flavors out of the spices. I added wine, as needed, giving only 10 minutes or so after the addition before ai resumed serving. It seems that once the flavors are blended, the ole wine educates the new rather quickly. My big mistake was just throwing the spices into the wine without using one of those stainless tea strainer things or one of those cloth bags used for steeping (I'm sure they know the proper names over on the food page.)