I have a recipe for wassail that I have used for 30 years, but this year I decided to simplify it. Really, I can't tell the difference. So my "new, improved" recipe is this:Take a gallon of apple cider (or you can use apple juice). Add a quart (or a large can) of pineapple juice. To that, add about 1/2 cup of lemon juice and 1/4 cup of honey. Then I throw in two large cinnamon sticks, a sliced orange, and sprinkle in a little ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg.
We always have this on Christmas Eve, and at any other time we have guests over during the holidays. Everyone loves it, and with all the winter sniffles, it just tastes good and it's healthy too.
You don't want to boil the wassail. Bring it just to the boiling point, then turn the heat down and keep it simmering on the stove. Or put it in a crockpot. Don't put it in punch bowl because it won't stay hot, and it might break the bowl!
If you want to get fancy, you can stud a couple oranges with whole cloves and after baking them with water for about a 1/2 hour, you can float them in the pan instead of the slices. But I decided that it hurts my fingers too much to do that and takes too much time.
This is a family favorite as has been one of our Christmas traditions for years. I hope you will try it! (Any leftovers, just refrigerate and then reheat in cups in the microwave.)
