Gathering together for the Holidays is one of the great traditions of the season. Whether or not we get together much this year, you can still enjoy some of those festive Holiday drinks which are a part of most holiday festivities throughout the world. The following are a few traditional holiday drink recipes that you may enjoy. Share below if you like one of these, and if not, what your favorite Holiday drink is.
1. Eggnog – This creamy, spiced, often spiked beverage has been around since the Middle Ages and was originally reserved for the only ones that could afford the spices – the aristocracy. Eggnog has roots in a medieval British beverage known as posset, which was a milk beverage made with wine or beer, cream, sugar, and egg, and thickened with anything from bread to oatmeal. Try this great recipe from “Tastes Better from Scratch” for delicious homemade Eggnog. They claim that you’ll never buy store-bought eggnog again! RECIPE
2. Hot Chocolate - As early as 500 BC, the Mayans were drinking chocolate, although it wouldn’t evolve into the hot, sweet drink we enjoy today until after it had first been to Europe and then brought back again to the Americas with Dutch settlers. Try this classic Dutch Hot Chocolate recipe from “The Spruce Eats”. RECIPE
3. Wassail - This 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’ve never tried this hot cider cinnamon drink, here’s a traditional recipe from “Taste of Home”. RECIPE
4. Christmas Punch – It turns out that Punch got its name from India. It is derived from the Hindi word, panch, for "five" – and in India, the concoction was traditionally made with five ingredients. Sailors and others from the British East India Company, imported the concept of punch back to England in the early-1600s. It was with the introduction of high-potency rum from Jamaica that the popularity of Punch really took off. Here’s a great recipe from “Will Cook for Smiles”. RECIPE
5. Mulled Wine - Mulled wine originated in the 2nd century with the Romans, and its use was spread throughout the conquered lands of Europe. Over time, the craze for mulled wine faded across most of Europe, with the exception of Sweden where it grew in popularity. The big turning point came in the 1890s when it became associated with Christmas. Every wine merchant across the country had their own unique recipe to share. Over time, these unique bottles (most depicting Santa Claus) were distributed throughout the rest of Europe – uprooting the long forgotten mulled wine in a new festive light. The following recipe from “The Modern Proper” promises to be bursting with flavor. RECIPElong-forgotten
Regardless of what you drink – I wish you all a wonderful Holiday Season!