The first time I drank mulled wine I was with my friend Shriya in London. It was cold outside and the spice-laden, sweetened wine warmed our insides and made us smile. It tasted like Christmas and old friendships and gave us inexplicable comfort although we were far away from home.




I made some last night, and I could taste those things all over again.







When something bad happens to us, don’t we often ask “Why me”? I’ve figured out the answer to that question.




It’s so that I can be reminded of the blessings in my life. The ones I forget so often and so easily.




Why me? Because I need to be reminded of how my family will always be my rock – no matter where I go or what I do.




Why me? Because it’s an opportunity to be grateful for the friends who love me, laugh with me, and cry with me because they can see through to my soul, the ones who are far away but make me feel like they’re right next to me with a single phone call or text, and the ones you know are yours forever.




Why me? Because I believe God wants to show me how strong he made me.




Painful things, difficult things, hard things, happen to the best of us. But what I’ve come to realize is that good things come out of it.




I will never stop being amazed at how my family and friends rally around me whenever I encounter anything difficult in life.
They shield me and hold me up, giving me an extraordinary strength.
The kind I never knew I was capable of. But it seems I am.
And that is an awesome thing.




So this is a thank you note. Just to say you’re wonderful. And my life wouldn’t be the same without you.
You all know who you are. Thank you for building me up. You give me strength every day.




I’m ready for anything the universe throws at me, because I know you’re there, always.




And while we’re here, in this moment, will you join me for a glass of mulled wine?
I know, you thought I’d never ask 🙂







Easy Mulled wine




Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Makes: 2 glasses




Ingredients:




30g brown sugar
375ml red wine (I used Four Seasons Shiraz*)
4-5 pieces cinnamon bark, plus a few long pieces for the glass
generous sprinkling of nutmeg
1 orange, sliced on the round







Method:




1. Place a large pan over low heat and put in the brown sugar. Add about 1/5th of the wine and mix well.
2. Throw in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and a few pieces of orange (reserve 2 perfect rounds for the glasses). Mix everything well until the sugar melts. Let this mixture reduce over a low heat- it is your flavour base.
3. After about 10 minutes, the wine mixture will be thicker. Now pour in the rest of the wine and stir well. Mix for 2-3 minutes and then take off the heat. (Longer and you’ll burn off all the alcohol- we don’t want that!)
4. Pour into heatproof glasses, add the orange rounds and cinnamon sticks, and serve.




*Thank you Four Seasons for the lovely wine.