Mike and I have a Christmas tradition that is very near and dear to my heart.

We always get our Christmas tree from Emery Farm, and pick up a few delectable food items from the farm store before we leave, like apple cider donuts and whoopie pies.

At Emery Farm, they also give everyone who purchases a Christmas tree a free, hand-decorated ornament. We’ve amassed a collection of these over the last few years.

Then, we head home, pull out all the Christmas decorations that have been in storage for the year, put on a fun Christmas carol station on Pandora, and brew up a festive pot of spiced mulled wine.

I look forward to this day almost all year. Or at least as soon as Thanksgiving comes to a close. It’s even better now that we have a real mantle to decorate over a real pellet stove that keeps us warm and toasty while we sip mulled wine and hang ornaments.

Mulled wine is just such a fantastic invention for the holidays. It tastes good, it smells wonderful, and it’s easy to make in large batches for parties. We’ve varied the recipe over the years but this is the one we always go back to.

What You Need:

• One 1.5 Liter bottle red wine of your choice (I used Little Penguin Shiraz)
• 1 orange, partially skinned for garnish and then sliced
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp brandy
• 1/4 cup agave (can substitute with honey if you don’t have agave)
• 10 whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks + extra for garnish

What You Do: 

Put all ingredients into a large pot and bring to a light simmer.

Simmer for about 15 minutes and then serve with orange skin and cinnamon sticks for garnish.