Winter evenings are a perfect time to enjoy the spicy taste and sweet aroma of warming drinks and cocktails! In Poland, there is a long tradition of consuming them. Nowadays, exotic fruits and spices from the warmest regions of the world often add a unique flavor. How to prepare and serve the most delicious warming cocktails and alcoholic beverages, as well as non-alcoholic drinks?
A drink known for centuries
Although thousands of years have passed, the origins of the tradition of drinking mulled wine sound familiar. In ancient times, mulled wine was a… festive, December delicacy of the ancients! In addition to wine and honey, its ingredients also included pepper, dried resin, bay leaves, dates, and saffron. The Romans drank this concoction on December 25th, on a day called Sol Invictus (only from the 4th century AD did this date become the Christian holiday of Christmas).
The custom of drinking mulled alcohol did not disappear with the Roman Empire but evolved in the Middle Ages. Mulled wines and meads were drunk in royal courts throughout Europe. Some even considered it a medicine and prescribed mulled wine for colds and other ailments – even such as rheumatism. In many countries, mulled wine was – and still is – a traditional element of Christmas celebrations.
Slavs, and later Polans, loved hot meads. Celts, Vikings, Greeks, and Romans also drank them in ancient times. Once extremely popular, today they are only enjoyed by connoisseurs. In Poland, during the Renaissance, in addition to mead, people eagerly consumed mulled beer with an egg. Yolks were grated with cottage cheese and honey, poured over beer heated with cloves and cinnamon, and served... with croutons. This custom has also survived to this day, and the recipe has only been slightly modified. Mulled wine with egg yolks, cream, and spicy seasonings was also served in Poland at that time.
Rum is also considered a traditional warming drink, popularized by the colonization of the Americas by European powers. Pirates allegedly added gunpowder to it to enhance its warming properties! Also associated with this region of the world is the festive punch – a mixture of alcohol with citrus, hot water or tea, and spices.
Warming drinks don't have to contain alcohol. After all, spices themselves possess these properties. One of the most interesting infusions of this type is masala chai from India – black tea combined with milk, sugar or molasses, cardamom, ginger, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and even coriander. Finally, the favorite winter drink for children and adults is hot chocolate, which, in addition to its warming properties, also provides magnesium to the body. It can be modified in many ways, by adding spices or... chili.
Rules for preparing mulled drinks
Mulled drinks must first and foremost be served hot. However, it should be remembered that alcohol evaporates easily, so to preserve its aroma and properties, the drink should not be brought to a boil.
Traditionally, spices are added to mulled drinks. These include cinnamon, ginger, anise, cloves, cardamom, allspice, and pepper. Instead of using ready-made spice mixes or their powdered versions, it's better to use them whole or grind them in a mortar. For their aromatic oils to fully release, it is best to heat them for a long time. To do this, you should put them into the pot with the drink before heating, and then transfer them to glasses.
The taste of many mulled drinks can also be enhanced by citrus fruits. Oranges and lemons will be best. Remember to scald and scrub them beforehand, and that they should not be subjected to heat treatment, as they will lose both taste and appearance, as well as vitamins. They can also serve as decoration – simply insert cloves into a slice of orange or lemon, and thread a cinnamon stick through the middle to adorn any warming drink for a cold and to boost your mood. They can also decorate a pitcher filled with mulled wine – to avoid spilling, skewer them onto a long kebab stick.
Mulled beer
Mulled beer for a cold? That sounds appealing! The vitamins and antioxidants it contains, along with warming additives, will surely improve the sick person's well-being. This type of mulled drink can be prepared in a modern form or enriched with traditional egg yolk.
To prepare MULLED BEER you will need:
- Light beer: 500 ml
- Orange slices: 3
- Cloves: 5 pieces
- Cinnamon stick
- Ginger: 3 cm piece sliced
- Honey: 3 tablespoons
Optional:
- Egg yolk: 1
- Sugar: 2 teaspoons
Heat the beer and spices in a pot. Be careful not to boil it. Place orange slices and honey in a vessel, then pour the hot drink over them and mix thoroughly. In the traditional version, whisk the egg yolk with sugar and mix with beer and spices – heat, but do not boil.
Mulled wine
Mulled wine for a cold, for warmth, and to lift your spirits on dark, winter evenings must be aromatic and sweet. Instead of buying ready-made and bottled mulled wines, it's worth making it yourself from semi-sweet or sweet red wine. It doesn't have to be a high-end wine – its most popular varieties will suffice.
To prepare MULLED WINE you will need:
- Red wine: 750 milliliters,
- Slices of juicy orange: 6 thick
- Cloves: 10-20 pieces
- Cinnamon sticks: 3 pieces
- Star anise: 4 pieces
Stick cloves into the orange and place at least 2 slices into the prepared glasses. Also add cinnamon and anise. Heat the wine, without bringing it to a boil. Pour it over the citrus and spices. Wait 3-4 minutes, then serve hot.
Tea with a kick
Warming drinks also include teas. On the coldest day, it's worth reaching for a cup of infusion with a "kick," i.e., with added alcohol. Such an infusion is often an obligatory element of the menu in mountain inns. It can also be easily prepared at home.
To prepare TEA WITH A KICK you will need:
- Black tea: 200 ml
- Rum, vodka, vermouth, martini, cognac or whisky: 50 ml
- Cherry, raspberry, freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice: 50 ml
- Cinnamon: a pinch
- Optionally, honey or sugar to taste
In a cup or glass, mix tea, alcohol, your favorite juice, and spices. Mix thoroughly. Any sweet or high-proof alcohol, as well as citrus juice or homemade syrup from summer garden fruits, will go well with tea. On the other hand, the best tea with alcohol for a cold is an infusion combined with your favorite homemade liqueur!
Mulled rum
A rum drink isn't just Mohito or Cuba Libre enjoyed on vacation! It's worth trying its warming version – the globally popular Hot Buttered Rum – which will quickly improve your mood and help with a sore throat!
To prepare MULLED RUM you will need:
- Rum (preferably dark): 100 ml
- Hot water: 250 ml
- Soft butter: 1 tablespoon
- Brown sugar: 1 teaspoon
- Cinnamon: 0.5 teaspoon
- Nutmeg: 0.5 teaspoon
- Allspice: 0.5 teaspoon crushed in a mortar
- Vanilla paste, vanilla bean seeds or vanilla sugar: 0.5 teaspoon
- Cinnamon stick for decoration
Grind all powdered spices and the chosen vanilla extract with butter and sugar. Transfer them to a mug and mix with room temperature rum. Pour hot, but not boiling, water (optimal temperature is about 70-80oC) and stir again. Decorate with a cinnamon stick.
Punch
Warming drinks for a festive or New Year's Eve party are worth preparing in larger quantities. The punch known from American movies immediately comes to mind, which will warm and improve the mood of all guests.
To prepare PUNCH you will need:
- Red semi-dry or semi-sweet wine: 1.5-2 liters
- Black tea: 1 liter
- Cinnamon stick: 3 pieces
- Cloves: 10 pieces
- Star anise: 3 pieces
- Ginger: 3 cm piece, sliced
- Cardamom: 4 seeds
- Lemon: 1 piece
- Orange: 1 piece
- Sugar: 4 tablespoons
Brew tea according to package directions. Heat wine (do not boil!) with spices and sugar. Scald, scrub, and slice citrus fruits. They can be decorated with cloves. Place fruit in a vessel, pour in the wine with the spices used for its preparation, and the brewed tea. Stir. Serve warm.
Non-alcoholic Glögg
Non-alcoholic mulled wine is a great idea for people who love the traditional warming taste and aroma of mulled wine but need to avoid high-proof spirits. This Scandinavian spiced drink in a non-alcoholic version can be bought in a bottle in any Swedish, Norwegian, or Finnish store. Fortunately, it's also easy to prepare at home, although its composition is very rich in various fruits and spices.
To prepare NON-ALCOHOLIC GLÖGG you will need:
- Apple juice: 1 liter
- Blackcurrant juice: 400 ml
- Water: 1 liter
- Freshly squeezed juice from 1 orange
- Freshly squeezed juice from half a lemon
- Half a lemon sliced
- Half an orange sliced
- Peel from half an orange
- Brown sugar: 1 tablespoon
- Cinnamon sticks: 2 pieces
- Allspice: 6 pieces
- Peppercorns: 10 pieces
- Cloves: 6 pieces
- Ginger: 4 cm piece, sliced
- Star anise: 2 pieces
Transfer all ingredients to a pot. Heat and mix everything, then remove from heat. Remove the citrus pieces and cover. After about 30 minutes, heat everything again. Pour into glasses through a sieve and serve as desired, either plain or with orange and lemon slices and spices.
Warming tea
Winter tea is not just the popular ginger tea. This season, it's worth drawing inspiration from Asia and making traditional Indian masala chai. This warming and at the same time refreshing, sweet drink with a specific aroma will be perfect for both winter and summer!
To prepare MASALA CHAI you will need:
- Water: 100 ml
- Milk: 200 ml
- Black tea, preferably powdered: 3 teaspoons
- Cloves: 5 pieces
- Star anise
- Cinnamon: a pinch
- Black pepper: a pinch
- Nutmeg: a pinch
- Dried ginger: a pinch
- Sugar: 2-3 teaspoons
Grind all spices in a mortar. Transfer to a pot and pour water over them. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Add tea and bring to a boil again. Heat milk with sugar. Strain the tea and pour it into a glass, then add warm milk.
Hot chocolate
A drink with honey, though delicious and sweet, is not suitable for everyone. A warming drink that both children and adults can enjoy is delicious, homemade hot chocolate! How to prepare it in your own kitchen? The key is good quality chocolate in cubes of your favorite flavor!
To prepare HOT CHOCOLATE you will need:
- Milk: 250 ml
- Heavy cream: 100 ml
- Favorite chocolate in cubes: 50 grams
- Optionally, cherry or raspberry syrup: 50 ml
- Cinnamon stick or whipped cream for decoration
Heat milk and cream in a pot, without bringing to a boil. Add broken chocolate pieces and stir, continuing to heat, until a creamy consistency is achieved. Pour into a cup, insert a cinnamon stick or decorate with whipped cream.