november | december 2019 34
T
ake a sip of a steaming cup of mulled wine and you’re greeted
with the warmth of mulling spices, an aromatic heat that works
its way from the tip of your nose to your toes.As long as there has been wine, there has been mulled wine,
a hearth-warmed, well-spiced drink that, for centuries,
everyone from the ancient Greeks to the Vikings enjoyed
during the chilly winter months. The wine itself was not
so important—in fact, the starter for mulled wine was often
unpalatable and bitter. What transformed the simple vino
into the magical hot brew was a highly aromatic spice blend
and, occasionally, sugar. This alchemical mix of mulling spices
has varied widely over the years, from age to age and culture
to culture. Here, we trace it from its dubious medicinal origins
to its sweet future as baking spice extraordinaire.
In ancient Rome, a mulled wine recipe might have been spiced
with saffron and bay leaves and sweetened with dates. But once the
Venetians began their extensive trade with the Ottoman Empire
in the 13th century, the spice blend began to feature a modern
mix of usual suspects—cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and
black pepper. The Romans brought it to the conquered Germanic
and Celtic peoples, and they, in turn, transformed it into their own
hot spiced wine traditions. In Germany, glühwein (which translates
to “glow wine”) is heavy on the cloves, cinnamon, and oranges,
though allspice and star anise occasionally make the cut. Throughout
Scandinavia, you can expect glogg, a mulled punch comprised of wine,
rum, and bourbon, plus oodles of cardamom, the Nordic spice of
choice. One of the oldest ancestors of plain mulled wine is hippocras,
a medieval favorite that was regarded as both a delicious drink and a
miraculous health tonic—a lofty claim, though many spices, like
ginger, clove, and cinnamon, have anti-infl ammatory properties.
An apple cider spinoff of mulled wine enjoyed in the British Isles,
wassail also makes use of sugar and mulling spices. Drinking a cup
represents celebrating a successful apple harvest or, for our more
modern age, hoping for a personally bountiful new year (the word
comes from the Middle English toast wæs hæil, or “be in good health”).
Wassail has spawned the act of—what else?—wassailing, a singing
and drinking spectacle that resembles a more boisterous version of
caroling. It also inspired our Mulled Apple Coffee Cake (page 105).
In the 17th and 18th centuries, dried and fresh citrus became
a common addition to the mix as Europeans gained regular
access to oranges, lemons, and limes.
It’s no surprise that mulling spices help create liquid
cheer, but how exactly can it elevate your baking? Much
like the pumpkin pie, chai, and Chinese fi ve-spice blends,
mulling spices are an incredibly versatile pantry staple