SC - My first attempt at hyppocras

[Stefan li Rous]

Tonight I mixed my first attempt at hyppocras. I decided to try
this recipe from a message quoting Cindy Renfrew.

8 oz. sugar
1 qt. wine
1/2 oz. spice powder (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, grains of paradise,
   cassia flower and galingale.

I was making only two cups of this, so I wanted to halve all the
ingredients. My first problem was that I don't have a scale. I
believe a little while ago someone mentioned a good approximation
for dry ingredients being 1 oz = 1 Tablespoon. Did I remember this 
correctly?

Unfortunately, I found out as I was mixing this that I did not
have any galingale. Unless I bought some at this last Pennsic,
the only galingale I had was in some Poudre Forte mix I bought
from the Pepperer's Guild. Their mix for Poudre Forte is:
cubebs, cloves, mace, ginger, pepper, cassia, cinnamon (zelanicum)
grains of paradise). This seems to include most of the spices
asked for in the redaction. I didn't think any of the spices would
be badly out of place, with the possible exception of the pepper.
The spice mix did in fact smell quite nice. 

Was this a reasonable, last minute substitution? Having it, perhaps 
I should just use the prepared Poudre Forte instead of the other 
spices in the future?

So I think what I made is:
2 Cups wine (I used Red Burgundy)
4 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon grains of paradise
1/2 teaspoon Poudre Forte

I haven't tried it yet. It's still cooling in the refrigerator. As
I've never had hyppocras before, I really don't have a good idea
what it should taste like.

And lastly, I don't see anywhere how hyppocras should be served? Warm,
room-temperature or chilled? I assume room-temperature, but if it
was stored in cellars and brought up for the meal, I can see where it
might be served cool.

I plan to try this with white wine next.

Thanks for any help anyone can give.
- -- 
Lord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:
         http://lg_photo.home.texas.net/florilegium/index.html ****
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