A Toast

Here's to Getting Things Done!  To Working Hard for Weeks on End, and To Finally Being Able to Sit Down, with a Nice Glass of Spiced Wine.  That's the Stuff.

The Weekend went a little something like this:

The Boy in a fundraising run...

...Joyfully...

Check out that sweet move his buddy's doing!

And back to the cabin for some snow...

Guess who took a snowball hit here?

While the Mister and I raced to (finally) finish painting and millwork...

Who works in conditions like these?  Crazy!

And by the end of the weekend, we were more than a little tired, but oh-so-proud (relieved) to have finished.  Freaking FINALLY.  

It's time for a toast.  Invite your favorite neighbors over, get out a cheap and cheerful bottle (or two) of red wine, some spices...because what's life without a little spice?...and put your feet up.

Mama Nécole's Spiced Wine - makes one 750 ml bottle (easily doubles...or more!)

Ingredients

1 bottle red wine, whatever you prefer (Chuck is perfectly swell, or you can be a little swankier)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

4 cardamom pods

1 cinnamon stick

2 or 3 cloves

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

1 Tbs allspice berries

3 or 4 strips orange peel, as much white pith removed as possible

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, and set over medium low heat.  As soon as the mixture becomes hot (just a few minutes, five or so), turn the heat to low, and let steep for 15 minutes.  DO NOT let it boil, you'll lose that lovely alcohol, and then what would be the point?

Pour the spiced wine through a small sieve, as you serve each glass, then throw the spices (if you're frugal like me) back in the saucepan with the remaining wine, to continue infusing with their flavor.  You can keep the wine over low heat, as you're serving it, so long as it doesn't boil.

This recipe doubles easily, just double all the ingredient amounts, although one cinnamon stick is plenty for two bottles of wine.  Perfectly spiced, perfectly celebratory, and perfectly deserved.

Cheers, Me Dears!  Job well done!

Guess who was enjoying her spiced wine so much, she forgot to get a photo of it?

That's right.  I imagine that you know what wine looks like, though.

Have a lovely day!