Here’s a special recipe for the holiday season for Innkeeper Bonnie –

“I had never had Hot Mulled Cider or Wine until a couple of years ago when as part of Prelude-To-Christmas, many of the businesses in the Amana Colonies offered their guests either Mulled Cider or Wine. So I decided that we’d offer the Mulled Wine at Zuber’s. I searched recipes on line, I asked local ‘experts’, and I bought the seasoning pack just in case! What I found out, is there is a basic recipe and you adjust it to your tastes. Whether you make use of cider or wine, a key part is the steeping at the end to get the full flavor.

Below is a great basic recipe from a friend of mine, Arlene Keither.

Hot Mulled Cider

• ¾ c. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. to 1 T. whole allspice
• 2 tsp. to 1 T. whole cloves
• ¼ tsp. salt (opt)
• lg. dash of ground nutmeg
• 6 to 8 cinnamon sticks
• 1 gal. apple cider
• oranges

Combine sugar, allspice, cloves, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon and place in basket of a 30 cup percolator and perk with 1 gallon cider. Serve in warmed mugs with a clove-studded orange wedge.

In place of percolator, you could put everything in a dutch oven or deep pot. The spices could be placed in a cheesecloth bag, or if you use ground allspice and ground nutmeg, and stick cloves in orange wedges to float in the liquid along with the cinnamon sticks, when you get ready to serve you could only need to take out the orange and cinnamon stick- unless the person wanted them in their cup! Most recipes suggest cooking on low for about an hour. I’ve seen recipes that say they are ready in 15 minutes. This all goes to taste, in my opinion. Thus your first few times of making this could be trial and taste!!

Many recipes I’ve found for mulled wine, are very similar to this above recipe but simply use your favorite red wine in place of the cide, and include using star anise., Also many mulled wine recipes have you put in the zest of oranges peeling the outer orange skin with a knife or potato peeler.

You can also use a crock pot or slow cooker to make your drink and then it can easily ‘mull’ until you are ready for it.

I suggest starting with a basic recipe and then adjust it to your tastes! “