Ugly Is In Good Taste
We are all familiar with a hearty red wine blended with spices. It’s mulled wine, of course. Served heated with such spices as cinnamon and cloves, its origins actually go back to Roman times. A favourite during the Christmas holiday season, it’s perfect to warm us up and ward off the cold temperatures, especially when outside activities are the order of the day. Searching for that elusive perfect Christmas tree, skiing, skating, sledding, building a snowman, or just getting together with friends, a cup of mulled wine hits the spot once retreating inside. The aromas of spices and that warm feeling of holiday cheer all over can’t be beat.
While there are many recipes one can use to make one’s own mulled wine, in this age of convenience, a delicious, ready-to-serve version is available for purchase at your local LCBO outlet as a seasonal listing. Based on Spanish red wine and select spices, the shrink-wrapped graphics covering the 750 ml bottle highlight another favourite holiday icon, the ugly Christmas sweater. With the packaging replicating typical embroidered patterns, it’s the perfect holiday host/hostess gift, too.
May we suggest enjoying this holiday favourite while watching another holiday favourite, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation movie. Sip cups of this mulled wine while laughing at the Griswold family’s holiday antics. Gingerbread cookies optional. Look out for the ugly sweaters worn by family goofball patriarch, Clark Griswold, played by Chevy Chase.