Christmas Drinks

Mulled wine -Recipe

Ingredients:2 cups water
4 Tbsp sugar
1 orange (with peel) sliced thinly
1/2 lemon (with peel) sliced thinly
12 cloves
1-2 pods cardamom
1 small piece fresh ginger, sliced (or powdered ginger)
5-6 peppercorns
cinammon and nutmeg (to taste, add later to individual mugs)
1,5 l inexpensive wine (Carlo Rossi Muscat is perfect)

Combine the ingredients (without wine) and bring to boil. Let simmer for about 10 min. Add wine and heat until it boils. Remove from stove immediately - you don't want all that cheer to evaporate, do you? Serve in mugs and sprinkle with cinammon and nutmeg.


Eggnog Recipe

The truly wonderful version you'll find by googling "Martha Stewart's traditional eggnog." It's a good thing - good of course if you're a domestic goddess with an army of lesser gods to do the work for you. If you're a mere busy earthling, you can fake it.

Try this somewhat unorthodox but surprisingly 'real' and good-tasting eggnog. No one needs to know your secret.

Ingredients:
1 tub vanilla ice cream softened(depending on the size of your crowd, it can be more); you can either thaw it a bit in the microwave or let it soften at room temp, stirring to speed up the process

milk to add until eggnog reaches the consistency you like
2 eggs beaten until pale and frothy
1 cup of rum or whiskey (or both! why not!), or whatever you happen to find - perhaps soju would work?

PROCESS: Beat the eggs and add to softened icecream. Stir until smooth. Add your alcoholic beverage, constantly and gently stirring. Add milk stirring until you reach the thickness you desire. Chill.Serve individually in pretty glasses, or paper cups, depending on the level of your domestic divinity. Have cinnammon and nutmeg handy for your guests to add to their hearts content.Enjoy. It's good. I promise.

CAUTION: Since this version contains fresh uncooked eggs, consume immediatley or keep in the fridge for a maximum of 2 days.