When visiting Christmas markets in Europe a couple of years ago, people there always have mulled wine in hand. The steaming mulled wine, the Santa Claus decoration 
, the slightly drunk atmosphere, and the joy of the Christmas season are full of the market! I am trying to find that flavor and decide to make my own at home. 
The ingredients we need to prepare,
- wine: I prefer Beaujolais Nouveau to do with this, you can pick the one you like
- brandy: following the traditional choice
- oranges: without peels
- cinnamon, whole cloves, star anise, cardamom pods
- honey/sugar
And we can simply mix all of the above,
- stir them till the honey is melted evenly
- heat the wine to a simmer, but please under 172°F (otherwise, the alcohol will vaporize. We use an infrared thermometer or an instant-read thermometer to help us check )
- let it simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours
And that’s it.
