Cinnamon: Cinnamon is the dried inner bark of a cinnamon tree. Once
cut from the tree, it’ll curl up as it dries, forming its signature coiled stick
shape. A popular spice since the time of ancient Egypt, cinnamon is often
featured in mulling spice recipes and is one of the predominate fl avors.
Nutmeg: The seed of a Myristica fragrans, nutmeg was not as commonly
used in medieval recipes for mulled wine because of its rarity and steep
price. Once it became readily available in the 19th century, many home
cooks gladly added it into the mix.
Clove: An extremely pungent spice, clove is the dried, undeveloped
fl ower bud of a tree in the myrtle family. Because clove has such strong
aromatic oils and compounds—its concentrated oil is often used in numbing
mouthwash—it should be added in conservative doses to spice mixes.
Allspice: So called because it contains the aromatic qualities of several
spices (clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg) in one, allspice is the dried whole
berry of Pimenta dioica, a canopy tree found in the Caribbean and Central
America. It packs a powerful punch and should be used sparingly.
Star anise: Bringing the much-desired note of licorice to the mulling
spice mix, the multipointed star anise is the pericarp of the fruit of the
Illicium verum tree found in China and Vietnam. An essential ingredient
in Chinese fi ve-spice powder, star anise can be simmered whole in a
poaching liquid or ground into a powder.
Peppercorns: Though you may consider peppercorns a strictly savory
spice, black pepper has had a long history as the hot counterpart to
many sweet-smelling spice mixes. Freshly ground or popped whole into
a mulling mix, peppercorns will add warmth without competing with the
stronger spices.Cardamom: One of the most common ingredients found in mulling spice
mixes, cardamom has often been dubbed “the queen of spices,” and for
good reason. An essential ingredient to chai spice mixes, cardamom can
be simmered in liquid whole or added to spice mixes as ground seeds.Ginger: Original recipes for mulling spice mixes featured many relatives
of ginger, from grains of paradise to galangal. Today, fresh ginger is
more commonly used in the cooking of mulling spices (it will mellow
and sweeten once heated), while ground ginger is used in the powdered
blends. Keep in mind that ground ginger is more pungent than fresh.Citrus: As essential to the mulling mix as any spice, citrus, particularly
orange or lemon, brings a note of contrary tartness and acidity to the
sweetened wine and aromatic spices, cutting through all the rich fl avors
for a bright, balanced fi nish. •Depending on the variation, a mulling spice blend can contain any or all of the following spices. Here’s a
little background on each of the aromatic ingredients.
THE MANY
MULLING SPICES