Goodness, it's been such a long time since I last posted. With Christmas, New Year's, traveling to Phoenix to see family, and starting back to work, I guess you could say it's been a little hectic. Oddly enough, we had a warm spell this past week, but now we're back to those grey winter days that chill you to the bone. I know many will shudder when I say this, but I live for those days. I love snuggling under warm blankets, pulling on thick sweaters, lighting candles, and sitting in front of a crackling fire. But one of my favorite traditions is making Vin Chaud or French Mulled Wine.
We visited France a couple of years back to see my husband's family and while there we were able to enjoy the Christmas markets. There's nothing quite like walking through what looks like Belle's village from Beauty and the Beast, browsing through the different booths, while holding a cup of warm mulled wine in your hands. Around every corner you could fine mulled wine, but here in the South, it's not very well known. Fortunately, my sister-in-law took a picture of a recipe for Vin Chaud that had been posted to a pole while we were in Obernais.
When it comes to choosing the wine for Vin Chaud, if you want it to be authentic, you should opt for a Beaujolais or Bordeaux. I absolutely love using Beaujolais Villages (Louis Jadot), but since you have to use two or more bottles of wine (as the wine will reduce), it can get a little pricey. Mulled wine actually originated from people using wine that had gone sour and fortifying it with different spices to give it a second life. So if you're not set on it being authentically French by using French wine, ideally you could also opt for a cheap but tasty wine. I would highly recommend Smoking Loon Zinfandel, which is under $10.
Please note that I use cardamom pods instead of Star Anise. I personally prefer the flavor of cardamom much more and Star Anise can be difficult to find. However, I have found it at both World Market and Fresh Market. Also, the recipe, once translated, actually says to use the rind of orange and lemon, but I far prefer to use slices of the entire fruit. Also, you can add as many of the following spices as you want! It just depends how strong you prefer the flavor.
The recipe is as follows.
