HERB - "Decker, Margaret" <margaret@Health.State.OK.US>: SC - Hot drinks

[Keith E. Brandt, M.D.]

>The winter tourney is upon us here in Anesteorra and my question is -
>what
>would be a good period non-alcoholic hot drink. I know that hot
>chocolate,
>coffee (as we serve it today) and tea are not in period but are herbal
>infusions and if so which ones?
>Margarite
>Namron - Anesteorra
>Norman OK

Namron, at least, has a chance of having a *real* winter, unlike those of
us in the Southern Region of Ansteorra. Here's a couple of suggestions:

I really like chai. There's a brand I can get locally from most of the
natural food stores: Oregon Chai. It is a heavy syrup you mix 50-50 with
milk. Really tastes great on a cold night. (Now if we only had some cold
nights!) I have no idea if there were any similar concoctions in period.

Here's my recipe for mulled wine or cider:

Mulled Wine/Cider

This makes 8 bags, each bag is enough to mull a 750-ml bottle of red wine,
or 1/2 gallon of apple cider.

3 boxes(1 ounce each) cinnamon sticks(about 25 2-inch long sticks) 
6 whole nutmegs
1/3 cup each chopped dried orange and lemon peel (see note at end)
1/4 cup each whole allspice and whole cloves
2 tablespoons finely chopped, crystallized ginger

Cut doubled layers of cheesecloth into fourteen 5-inch squares. Have ready
eight 8-10 inch long pieces of plain white string. Put cinnamon sticks and
nutmegs in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or small heavy
skillet until broken into small pieces. Mix with remaining ingredients. Tie
3 generous tablespoonful in each cheesecloth square.

To mull wine: I've been using the 1.5 liter bottles of Gallo Cabernet
Sauvignon with good results. Stir 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar in
a 3 to 4 qt. saucepan until sugar dissolves. Add the entire bottle of wine
and the 2 spice bags. Reduce heat to low, cover and heat very gently until
mixture is very hot, but not boiling - about 20 minutes. Discard spice bags.

To mull cider: Add one spice bag to 8 cups apple cider in a 2 1/2-3 qt.
saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 30-35 minutes.

To dry citrus peel: With vegetable peeler remove colored part of peel from
2 large oranges and 4 lemons. Place in single layer on plate; cover with
paper towel and let stand at room temperature one day or until dried. Snip
in small pieces with kitchen shears or chop coarse with knife.


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