Mulled Wine

We had our 'Open House' at the greenhouse yesterday.... a fun day with all of our Christmas items displayed for sale. There was Christmas cake (thanx to Gudie), shortbreads, peanut butter fudge (thanx to Andrea and Paige) and mulled wine. There were many requests for the mulled wine recipe so here it is....

Mulled Wine or Negus in Quantity (from The Joy of Cooking)

Make a syrup by boiling for 5 minutes:
2.5 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups water
4 dozen whole cloves
6 cinnamon sticks
3 crushed nutmegs (I used a heaping tsp ground)
Grated rind of 3 lemons and 2 oranges
Strain syrup. Add to it:
4 cups hot lemon or lime juice
Heat well, but do not boil, and add:
4 bottles red wineor Madeira, port or sherry (I used red wine)
Serve hot with slices of lemon and pineapple
Enjoy! Please keep your consumption to a minimum if you are driving.

Thank you to all who came out to join us yesterday. We do appreciate your business more than you can know.

Ooops. I forgot to say that I added a couple of heaping teaspoons of honey to the wine to sweeten it. It was pretty tart before that.

Fa la la la la, la la la la

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, won't you put a penny in the old man's hat.

This is the time of year when the greenhouse turns from gardening to wreath making. There is a tremendous amount of work to be done in a very short time. Cherie, Paige, Gudie and I are in the midst of making wreaths, swags, kissing balls (not sure why they call them that), advent wreaths, hanging baskets and outdoor containers. The greenhouse is filled with balsam fir and the fragrance of Christmas is dizzying. Next Saturday (November 27th) we have our 'Open House' when all of these items will be on display. Paige and Andrea will be selling their bee products and Newfoundland and Labrador Art will have a display as well. We will be serving mulled wine and Ginger Peach Christmas cake. The fire will be crackling in the stove and Christmas will be in the air. Join us.