Oh Friyay! The day when there’s light at the end of that Zoom tunnel and you know that you can unplug from the medium screen for awhile and can soon look at the little and/or big screen instead! 🤪
Let’s plan a nice, relaxing sipper for this evening’s Netflix session, shall we?
How about a nice cup of old timey wassail? It’s not just for the holiday season! I love wassail all through the winter, due to all of the gorgeous spices infused through it. If you have a nicely stocked spice cabinet, this one is easy to stir up. And, it’s a lovely low-ABV beverage.
I’ve had plenty of wine and cider-based wassail at holiday parties gone by, but it wasn’t until this year when I stumbled across an old recipe from 1869 that I finally made one with an ale base instead. And, since these are socially-distant times, I adapted the recipe to serve two, instead of the large format that usually serves a dozen or more.
Pick up a six pack of English ale and a bottle of cream sherry and you’re set for wassail sippin’ through the whole weekend!
Wassail for 2
8 oz. English brown ale (I used Newcastle)
1.5 oz. cream sherry
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 strips of lemon peel
Splash of fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 whole clove
1 star anise
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and warm over low heat. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t boil. Pour into a warmed mug or Irish coffee glass. Sip & enjoy!
Optional delightful garnish:
Slice an apple into rings and sprinkle the tops with a pinch of brown sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until sugar is caramelized and apples are nicely browned. Float a slice on the top of your wassail cup, and then eat it, because it’s so tasty. And the baking process will make your home smell wonderful!
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