Caroline Rowett’s mulled wine recipe is influenced by her travels—a little from Sweden, France, Germany and UK

Christmas this year reminds Caroline Rowett, British Deputy High Commissioner in Chandigarh, of home. The rainy weather is just like London and her family joining her this year, she is looking forward to the huge Christmas spread, a movie and time together!

Caroline invites us home to share her mulled wine. A huge tree is adorned in her lawn, two more take space inside—each decorated with ornaments picked from different parts of the world. There are pretty little houses from Haiti, a red heart from Switzerland and a super cute Santa siting on an elephant, of course from India!

Though Caroline is a vegetarian, that doesn’t stop her from making a huge Christmas meal—turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, vegetables, minced meat and pudding. “Christmas is about listening to the address by the King, stuffing yourself with so much food that you can’t eat anymore and a nice movie,” says Caroline. This year on her mind is a Norwegian romantic comedy Christmas as Usual.

To the mulled wine next. One of things she clears first is that one doesn’t need to spend on an expensive wine; any bottle that is open or even a cheap wine would work, since so many spices go into it. Mulled wine isn’t paired with the Christmas meal, but is for a cold morning and evening when one typically ventures out. Caroline’s mulled wine recipe is influenced by her travels—a little from Sweden, France and Germany, and, of course, back home!

Ingredients

Red wine

Orange/kinnow

Cinnamon

Nutmeg powder

Cloves

Star anise

Cardamom pods

Ginger powder

Almonds

Raisins

Honey

Orange juice

Method

. Take a big, broad pan, and pour the wine on it.

. Stick the cloves onto the orange. Pierce through to the fruit so that the juices come out. Put this orange into the wine.

. Add spices—cinnamon, star anise, cardamom pods, ginger, almonds, raisins, honey and nutmeg powder.

. Add some honey and orange juice.

. Switch on the gas and let it simmer, stir occasionally.

. Taste; adjust sweetness and flavours.

. Pour into the mugs and serve hot.

. Tip to make it extra strong—add a dash of brandy/rum