MULLED WINE

With friends and family calling-in over the weekend to deliver Christmas gifts and cards, I thought I'd make up a pan of hot mulled wine that could be left on the oven as visitors come and go. I promised to share the recipe on the blog and here it is. It couldn't be simpler.

Ingredients: (makes six large glasses)

1 bottle of red wine

60g demerara stick

1 cinnamon stick

nutmeg - grated

1 orange - halved

1 bay leaf - dried

60ml sloe or damson gin (optional)

Method:

• Put the wine in a saucepan with the orange, sugar, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and nutmeg.
• Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.
• Taste to see if you want the wine sweeter and add more sugar to taste.
• Take the pan off the heat, stir in the sloe or damson gin, if you are using it.
• Strain the mulled wine into heatproof glasses and serve with a home-made mince pie.