Category — nutmeg

In Victorian England, children were served small glasses of wine at the dinner table, and had it in punch at their parties. Here is a recipe for Negus - a Victorian mulled wine - intended for a child’s birthday party. It’s from Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management from 1861.

• 1 pint port wine
• 1 quart water
• 1/4 lb sugar
• 1 lemon
• grated nutmeg to taste

• 3 bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp powdered clove
• 2 Tbsp whole cloves
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar

In medieval times, mulled wines were calledYpocras or Hipocris, named after the physician Hippocrates. This recipe is from The Accomplisht Cook, written in 1660 by Robert May. The recipe is for Ipocras with Red Wine.

• 1 gallon wine
• 3oz cinnamon
• 2oz ginger, sliced
• 1/4oz cloves
• 1oz mace
• 20 peppercorns
• 1oz nutmeg
• 3lb sugar
• 2qt cream

“Take a gallon of wine, three ounces of cinamon, two ounces of slic’t ginger, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, an ounce of mace, twenty corns of pepper, an ounce of nutmegs, three pound of sugar, and two quarts of cream.”

In essence, mix all ingredients and heat slowly in a large pot. Serve warm. You can also let it ’settle’ for a few days and serve it cool, depending on which way tastes better to you!

• 2 bottles dry Cabernet Sauvignon
• Peel of 1 orange
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken into halves
• 8 whole cloves
• 1 whole nutmeg
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• orange slices

Pour wine in slow cooker. Wrap orange peel, cinnamon stick halves, cloves, and nutmeg in cheesecloth. Add to slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 2 to 2.5 hours. Discard spice bag; ladle into glasses. Garnish with orange slices.

• One bottle of red wine
• One peeled and sliced orange (keep peel to add zest to taste into cooking pot)
• One peeled and sliced lemon (keep peel to add zest to taste in cooking pot)
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 5 whole cloves
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 cup sugar (or honey can be substituted)
• 2/3 cup brandy or cognac
• 1/2 cup water

PREPARATION:

Combine all ingredients in either a large pot or a slow cooker. Gently warm the ingredients on low to medium heat (avoid boiling), for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that the honey or sugar has completely dissolved.

• 1 bottle red wine
• 60g/2oz demerara sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• grated nutmeg
• 1 orange, halved
• 1 dried bay leaf

Method

1. Put the wine in a saucepan with the orange, sugar, bayleaf and the spices.
2. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Taste to see if you want the wine sweeter, and add more sugar to taste.
3. Off the heat, stir in the sloe or damson gin if you are using it.
4. Strain into heatproof glasses and serve at once.

• 6 sticks of cinnamon
• 12 whole cloves
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ginger
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• red wine
• 1/4 cup of sugar

1. Combine the spices and citrus in a dry red wine
2. Add sugar
3. Heat this through for at least 15 minutes; don’t boil
4. Serve

• 2 lemons
• 2 oranges
• 1  bottle of medium, to full bodied red wine
• Nutmeg (to taste)
• Cloves (to taste)
• Brandy or Cognac (or to taste)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (optional)
• Herbal or citrus influenced tea (optional but excellent)
• Water (optional softener instead of tea)
• 4 large cinnamon sticks
• 4 candy canes

Instructions for making four large portions

1. Cut lemons and oranges into slices.
2. Pour the red wine into saucepan and gradually heat.
3. Add fruit slices, nutmeg, cloves and brandy.
4. Keep an eye on the mixture and wait until it becomes hot to the touch.
5. At this point you could blend in sugar or water (if desired).
6. Pour into glasses/mugs and add tea (to taste).
7. Garnish with cinnamon stick and candy cane.
8. Serve