"Love and joy come to you
And to you your wassail too
And God bless you and send you a Happy New Year
And God send you a Happy New Year."
This is the chorus to "Here We Go A Wassailing," a holiday song that you've likely heard at some point. But did you know that wassail is actually a drink? This drink SMELLS like Christmas!
As I was cooking our first batch, my older son came running into the kitchen and said, "What smells so good?" When my younger son took his first sip, he told me, "This tastes like mmm, mmmm, mmmmm!"
A cup of wassail pairs well with powdered doughnuts. Adults might enjoy it with a splash of spiced rum.
Wassail
- 2 quarts apple juice or apple cider
- 2 cups cranberry juice
- 1 teaspoon aromatic bitters
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon whole allspice
- 20-30 whole cloves
- 1 medium orange or 2 clementines studded with the cloves
Put all ingredients into a stockpot. Cover and cook on high for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to low and keep warm. Keep it on low on the burner for the whole day so the fragrance has the chance to permeate your home.
Alternatively, put all the ingredients into your slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for one hour, then reduce to low and cook on LOW for 4-8 hours.
