Hot Spiced Wine

From A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin and the Game of Thrones television series  

 

Just seven more days until Game of Thrones is back. SEVEN. MORE. DAYS. Season 4 premieres next Sunday at 9 PM, and finally, our lives will have meaning again.

 

To celebrate this glorious occasion, I’m posting another A Song of Ice and Fire-inspired recipe: Hot Spiced Wine (a.k.a. Mulled Wine). This cozy, medieval brew is mentioned pretty frequently throughout the series. It was the favorite nighttime beverage of King Robert, and it’s just generally popular all across Westeros. Mulled Wine is a traditional medieval beverage, but it’s sadly not as common these days. But that’s all about to change, because this is the perfect GoT party drink!

 

So, rally your GoT crew—you know, the folks who provide emotional support and keep you from jumping out a window during the commercial breaks—and make a batch. It’s incredibly easy to make, even easier to drink. And while it won’t completely numb the pain of watching your favorite character die a gruesome death, it’ll take the edge off. Plus, your whole house will smell amazing while it brews. And drinking it is like sinking into a warm, candlelit bath… but in your mouth.

 

Pair it with some Lemon Cakes, and you’ve got the ultimate Thrones watch party. Winter (and emotional devastation) is coming so, better to be prepared.

 

Ingredients

 

• 2 bottles Red Wine
• 1 Orange
• 1 Lemon
• 5 Cinnamon Sticks
• 1-inch piece of Ginger, thinly sliced
• 8 Whole Cloves
• 2 Whole Allpice
• 5 Black Peppercorns
• 5 Cardamom Pods, split (optional)
• 3/4 cup Honey (or to taste)

 

Directions

 

1. Use a sharp knife or vegetable peeler to remove the zest from the orange and lemon in long strips, avoiding the bitter white pith. 
2. Slice the orange and lemon in half and juice them into a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot.
3. Pour the red wine into the pot with the citrus juice. Add the orange and lemon zest, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, peppercorns, cardamom, ginger, and honey. Stir to combine.
4. Add the orange and lemon zest, ginger, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, peppercorn, cardamom, and honey to the pot. Stir for about a minute to combine everything.
5. Cover the pot and heat over medium-low heat until steaming but not boiling—about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the honey dissolves.
6. Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture steep for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the flavors are as strong as you like. Taste occasionally and adjust the sweetness or spice level as needed.
7. Strain out the zest and whole spices, then ladle into mugs. Garnish with whole spices and fresh citrus wheels, if desired.
8. Ladle into mugs and serve warm. Garnish with whole spices and fresh citrus wheels, if desired.
9. Enjoy responsibly. Hodor!

 

 

Serves 6 to 8

 

 

 

This post has been reformatted and reworded for clarity. Small adjustments have been made to the recipe for more consistent results.