Wassail is a beverage of hot mulled cider, drunk traditionally as an integral part of wassailing, a Medieval Christmastide English drinking ritual intended to ensure a good cider apple harvest the following year.
If you haven’t caught onto this about me yet, I loooove warm drinks. I also have an obsession with mugs. Maybe it’s because I live in North Dakota and it is a near necessity to have something warm in your hands at all times for about 9 months out of the year? It’s like a hug in a mug that warms you all the way down to your toes.
One of my favorite things to do is warm up Wassail 4-5 hours before people come over. It gets your home smelling delicious, welcoming and warming. I pull out my favorite mugs, set them beside the stove and wait for everyone to arrive.
When you step into my home you will first be welcomed with a hug and soon after the question of what can I get you to drink?
Something about being warm, feeling comforted by those you love, digging into deep conversations and the corners of your heart…those are the things I believe Jesus meant when he told us to love our neighbors.
Last night I had friends come over, old and new, we sipped Wassail, giggled, and I taught them how to bake with essential oils. It was dreamy. Really, it made one of my dreams come true to have my own cooking show. (giggle giggle)
This is a big portion of Wassail. I invited you to pull out the mugs, place it on the stove and invite friends over to your home.
This is also perfect for the holidays when people are coming and going, hanging around all day and it’s always nice to have a sip while you’re also snacking on something.
*A note on the essential oils. Oils like having something to cling to. I liked dropping 1 drop of Orange Vitality and 1 drop of Nutmeg Vitality on a cinnamon stick and putting it in each mug along with a slice of orange, you could also drop the oils on the orange.
Wassail
2 quarts apple juice
1 quart cranberry juice
46 oz of pineapple juice (1 can Dole Pineapple Juice)
2 oranges, 1 sliced orange for full pot and 1 orange sliced for mugs
20-25 whole cloves
5 whole star anise
5 cinnamon sticks, plus cinnamon sticks for individual mugs
1 drop Orange Vitality (per individual cinnamon stick)
1 drop Nutmeg Vitality (per individual cinnamon stick)
Slice one orange into 4 or 5 slices, push 4-5 cloves into each orange slice and set aside.
Add juice to 1 dutch over (or large stock pot) on the stove.
Add the orange slices with cloves in them, 5 cinnamon sticks and 5 star anise to the juice mixture. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Once Wassail is almost finished, prepare the mugs. Drop 1 drop Orange Vitality and 1 drop Nutmeg Vitality on one cinnamon stick, repeat and prepare 15 cinnamon sticks.
Slice the other orange into thin slices. Pour Wassail into each mug, top with a slice of orange and an essential oil cinnamon stick.
Plus, for you wine drinkers (raises hand), add a 1/2 bottle - 1 bottle of any red wine and you have yourself an alcoholic Wassail that is sure to make anyone cheery!
