How To Make Mulling Spices For Mulled Wine
How would you feel if you are really cold and some kindred soul hands you a cup of warm tea which smells of cinnamon and cardamom? This is the magic of mulling spices. Read on to learn what are mulling spices and how to make mulling spices for mulled wine
What are mulling spices?
Mulling spices are the spices which are added to hot beverages such as tea, coffee, ciders, wine etc to impart a rich flavor to the drink. Choice of spices vary from individual to individual, but the common spices used as mulling spices are cinnamon, cloves, all spices, cardamom, nutmeg, star anise and some dried fruit peels and flower petals.
Making Mulling Spices
Some of the tips and techniques on how to make and use mulling spices in wine have been discussed below:
-While preparing mulling spices for wine the spices being used should be grounded and stored in airtight containers until the mixture is ready to be used. This would ensure that the aroma of the spice does not get lost.
-One can prepare mulling spices sachets using cheesecloth and filling the mixture inside the cheesecloth bag. The bag can be sealed using a kitchen twine.
-Some people drop these bags into the wine that is being heated, so that the flavor of the spices can infuse into the wine.
-Other people prefer opening the cheesecloth and dumping the entire contents into the wine.
-Cloves tend to overpower the flavour of the wine so should be used carefully and in moderation.
-Cinnamon has a sweet and rich taste, which when added to the mulled wine, imparts a fragrant, sweet and spicy flavour to the wine.
-Mulled wine makes the body warm because of the added spices.
-The quality of the mulled wine or any other drink may not matter so much as the spices would cover the subtle variations in flavours of wine.
-Some people ground the mulling spices into a powdered form and add them to the simmering beverage. If some spice particles do not get dissolved in the drink, the drink can be sieved out.
-Powdered form of mulling spices is available in the market.
-Mulling spices are commonly served during the cold Christmas holidays as they add a festive and spicy taste to the drinks.
So the next time you are feeling cold, add some mulling spices to your heated wine or tea, or coffee. We hope our guide on how to make mulling spices for mulled wine would help you in adding that extra flavour to your life and would spice it up!
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