Photo by Theresa Stanley
In this season of thankfulness, gathering with loved ones will be trickier than usual. One good way to spend time with family and loved ones could be to host an outdoor cocktail hour; and to keep things safer, ask guests to bring their own mug for the host to ladle from the pot of cheer.
Sweet and lightly spiced with cinnamon sticks, cloves and ginger – hallmark spices of the holidays – mulled white wine is the perfect pairing for crisp fall air, especially with the added kick of bourbon. Prepared and steeped an hour before the gathering, it can serve as a great aperitif or after-dinner drink.
Store any extra mulled wine in the refrigerator to allow this recipe to keep on giving: It also makes a great base for a holiday spritzer and yields amazing poached apples and pears (drizzle with honey and serve for dessert). Cheers!
Ingredients:
• 2 bottles Riesling
• 4 ounces Cooper’s Craft bourbon
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 apples, cored and halved
• 2 inches ginger, peeled and sliced
• 1 pear, cored and quartered
• ½ grapefruit zest, peel without pith
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 10 whole cloves
• 6 peppercorns, pink suggested
Method:
To a crockpot add all ingredients. Cover and simmer on low heat for one hour. The fruit and spices will infuse wine with flavor. The longer it steeps, the better the cocktail will be. Serves 8-10.