How ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg became the taste of Christmas, and how to capture those aromas in a cocktail
- The spices that give mulled wine, eggnog and hot toddies their Yuletide aroma were originally used to show off one’s wealth
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves give us a sense of nostalgia, and our mulled wine syrup recipe will have your kitchen smelling like Christmas
It seems like the minute the weather turns – or whenever Starbucks deems it appropriate to start whipping out the red cups – everything becomes Christmas-flavoured. We’re talking lattes, baked goods, candles that almost smell edible.
When asked what Christmas “tastes” like, most would say cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and perhaps a hint of orange and cloves. After all, mulled wine, hot toddies and eggnog are not typically enjoyed on a hot summer day at the beach – unless, perhaps, you’re Australian.
The explanation behind this seasonal use goes back to Victorian times, when applying spices liberally to food and drinks was equivalent to today’s caviar bump, a decadent way to show off your wealth. Spices were expensive and often rationed to use around times of major celebrations – namely holidays such as Christmas and New Year.
Here is how they found their way into our favourite holiday drinks:
Mulled wine
The joke is that mulled wine has existed for as long as there has been bad wine: always. The ancient Greeks were originals when it came to zero waste, and heated up wine that was close to spoiling with strong spices to make it as palatable as possible.
