A busy week at the Sorrel Horse. Today it is the mulled wine competition. Now I don’t have the passion that descends on the populace at this time of year. I like my alcoholic drinks cold. Large drinks from the chiller and small drinks with lots of ice. If I do drink wine then I have it like I have milk, so cold that you cannot really taste it in the mouth. That is of course provided that you swallow it straight down and not roll it round the mouth to capture the full bouquet, or is that when you smell it. You can see that I am an absolute wine buff!!! So my wine drinking is limited to white wine or a very young Beaujolais Nouveau, so I can give it a good period in the freezer.
It was in the 2nd Century when the Romans took up the idea of heating wine to warm them up in winter. I suppose if you were a Roman Soldier on Hadrian’s wall, with the standard issue pteruges to protect your nether regions, you would have welcomed a hot wine when the wind blew down from the Trossocks. Tea was not imported into Europe until the 17th Century so that would have been the only option. Because of the Roman’s proclivity towards conquering countries in Europe their penchant for hot wine spread with them. Towards the middle ages the Europeans would continue to use hot wine but added spices and herbs to make the concoction more palatable and hopefully medicinal. Well palatable is a relative term. The Sorrel is also switching on the Christmas tree today. As I write this it is tipping down with rain and I am not sure if they have dressed the tree yet.
Tomorrow is the Village meal. This is an annual event when a lucky forty odd people get to enjoy the festive treats of the chefs. Enjoy people.
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