Day 322.
I got this fun recipe from Wendy. I put it together last night, and after dinner we sipped our wassail out of mugs while watching A Murder She Wrote marathon on the Hallmark channel. Although it was in the seventies yesterday, we pretended it was cold and needed warmth from the hot mug of cider and the heat from the vanilla Glade candle.
It was a good night.
The Ingredients.
--2 quarts apple cider
--1 cup pineapple juice
--1/2 cup honey
--3 sticks cinnamon
--2 whole cloves
--1 whole orange, cut in rings
--brandy, optional
The Directions.
Use a 4-6 quart crockpot. This makes 9 cups of juice.
I had *just* watched an Unwrapped episode where they explained the difference between cider and juice: you can't see through cider, because they use the whole apple. I headed to Safeway with that knowledge, and didn't find 1 bottle in the whole store labeled cider (other than the sparkling Martinellis), so I brought home a bottle of organic apple "juice" that I couldn't see through.
Put all of the ingredients into the crockpot (not the brandy). Wash your orange well, and cut off each end. Slice the remaining orange into rings, and float the pieces on the top of the juice.
Cook on high for 2 hours, or on low for about 4. You want the juice completely hot, and the flavor of the cloves and the cinnamon to have permeated.
Ladle into mugs. If you are going to add the brandy, put a shot into each mug, then top with the hot cider.
If serving to guests, provide a ladle, and keep the crockpot lid off, and the pot turned to low. If on warm with the lid off, it won't stay quite hot enough.
The Verdict.
Delicious and soothing. One of my kids has a sore throat, and she drank a lot, and was happy with how it made her throat feel better.
We're having some more for breakfast.
Thank you so much, Wendy!
I hadn't even thought of doing Wassail in the crock pot! Does it make the house smell yummy while it cooks?
We are headed to the orchard this afternoon so I will be getting some more cider to try this!
November 17, 2008 at 6:38 AM
Check your produce section for the cider. It's in a plastic jug.
November 17, 2008 at 7:01 AM
This sounds good! We make wassail all through the fall and winter, but ours is different than this version! Ours is apple juice, cranberry juice (about half as much as the apple juice), sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks and a whole orange studded with cloves. I'm going to have to try your version now!
November 17, 2008 at 7:07 AM
Oooh! I've been reading along (and printing out tons of recipes) for a while now but I think this may be my first comment. Not sure. Anyway, I have two things to thank you for! I have a cookie exchange every year and do wassail in my crockpot but my recipe has tea in it and some of my guests don't drink it because of the tea (Mormons). So this is perfect, I'll try this one this year! Also, Murder She Wrote! My husband has been telling me it's not on any channel anymore! Hallmark, I will be sure and have him tivo me some from Hallmark so I can watch them! I love that show! Thanks a ton!
November 17, 2008 at 7:18 AM
That sounds really great, I'd never have thought of making a drink in the crockpot - you're giving me lots of inspiration, thank you!
November 17, 2008 at 7:22 AM
That just sounds yummy for this time of year. It too has been in the 70's here but nothing like wassail to make it feel like winter :) I will be making this as soon as I get to the store! Thanks for another great idea.
November 17, 2008 at 7:23 AM
This sounds so good that we will try it this weekend. I have a crockpot recipe for you to review over at my place if you get the chance.
http://shovedtothem.blogspot.com/2008/11/lunch.html
Thanks! I love your blog
November 17, 2008 at 8:09 AM
Oh no....please stop. Between the pumpkin cheesecake this Wassail and the stuffing...I'm going to need 18 crock pots for Thanksgiving!
I'm really kidding, I love all of them. But still only have the one crockpot!
Have a great day
November 17, 2008 at 8:25 AM
Great article thanks so much for sharing. I'm not sure how i found you but i always like making new blog friends. I believe i was looking for stuff on our sons condition esophageal atresia, i wish you the best.
November 17, 2008 at 8:35 AM
I am so excited to see this! I use to get this at the spa I went to - back when I had an awesome job and money. Now I'm a SAHM, with no money, a unibrow and skin flaking off my face so I think I'll just make my own.
LOVE your blog!
November 17, 2008 at 8:43 AM
It was probably the brandy that made your daughter's throat feel better.
Just kidding....
As a kid we would decorate the tree and house the day after Thanksgiving. My mom would have a big pot of wassail simmering on the stove. What memories that delicious scent brings back to me!
I'm excited to try the CrockPot version. Thanks, Steph!
November 17, 2008 at 8:49 AM
bwhahahahahahahahahaa to c. beth!
November 17, 2008 at 9:09 AM
We make this every other year or so. I just love it! I'm glad you're getting the word out that normal people drink Wassail too, not just poor children who wander in the mire. ;)
November 17, 2008 at 9:18 AM
oh, and we make it without the alkyhol.
November 17, 2008 at 9:18 AM
I was really hoping that you would do a cider/wassail recipe!!!
I am going to serve this for Thanksgiving. And then again for my wedding anniversary which is Dec 21st. We had wassail at the reception and my husband still talks about how good it was!
Thanks so much Stephanie!
November 17, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Yum! I'm going to try this next week! :)
November 17, 2008 at 1:11 PM
YEA! I'm so glad you liked it!
November 17, 2008 at 1:52 PM
I can't wait to try this. I can practically smell it now. I love your blog and I think I speak for your many fans when I say that I am sad that the year is almost over!!
November 17, 2008 at 4:26 PM
I love wassail and have made it in the crockpot before, but I'm looking forward to trying your version. Sounds yummy!!!
November 17, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Oh, this is one of my favorite things about the holidays! I can't wait to try it! Yummy!
November 17, 2008 at 7:51 PM
I can't wait to try this recipe when my parents come into town in a couple of weeks!!!
I saw that same episode of unwrapped. The ironic thing was my husband got all snotty and said, "What's the difference between cider and juice!" and within 5 seconds they said something along the lines of, "So what is the difference between cider and juice?" Hahaha!
November 18, 2008 at 9:11 AM
After helping out in the unheated food bank this morning my friend and I came home to this delicious smell. The wassail was yummy and perfect with our sandwiches. I look forward each day to the new recipe I'll find on this great blog. Thanks!
November 18, 2008 at 12:08 PM
Oh my goodness, I'm going to make this for my boyfriend who loves apple cider and for our Thanksgiving dinner.
Are you putting all these recipes into a book??? I try and bookmark my favorites (so many) and all the ones I want to try (I'm getting behind). I'd love to see a book and add it to my list of "Healthy Discoveries" :-)
November 19, 2008 at 8:54 AM
I made this today and my kids are drinking it as I type this. In fact, they've asked that I make this a lot more and it made my house smell so good. Can't ask for much more than that!
November 19, 2008 at 12:58 PM
Somehow I missed this one and oh, boy, does it sound good...I will make it minus the alcohol !
November 19, 2008 at 1:27 PM
It looks like apple juice in the picture. Do you need apple cider or can you use apple juice? I want to make this for our support group open house on Saturday. Thanks.
November 20, 2008 at 10:42 AM
Stephanie, I just went back and reread the entire post so now I see the apple juice question answered. Sorry. :-(
November 20, 2008 at 5:31 PM
I just made this to go along with the Autumn Sausage Casserole.
YUM. YUM YUM YUM. The flavors are fantastic together!
November 21, 2008 at 2:16 PM
I make something very similar to this, but I add a whole nutmeg (or half) and a couple whole allspice. I also like to put the clove in later than everything else, so it doesn't overpower the flavors.
It's also yummy with a shot of rum!
November 29, 2008 at 1:18 PM
Thanks for this recipe. Can't wait to try it.
April 29, 2009 at 4:39 AM
I had this recipe years ago from a bank that served it during the holidays. I lost it and have only had similar ones. But they never said how much honey to use. Thank you sooo much for posting this. Ladies Bible study on Thursday, I'm hosting and this will go well with bacon and leek tartlets. And the house will smell sooo good.
October 20, 2009 at 6:17 PM
I saw a lady int the grocery store make this amazing hot drink in the crockpot with Apple Cider and one atomic fireball candy--the ones that your kids come home and dare you to eat, but you never want to. I tried it, and it was delish! Simmer for a few hours, and YUM!
This Wassail recipe looks so good with the pineapple juice. I will try!
November 18, 2010 at 4:25 PM
I made this for Christmas day and it was so good. I let it cook on high for an hour, and then switched to low and left it that way. Thanks!!!
December 27, 2010 at 8:07 AM
Interesting. I made wassail one year using Sam Smith's nut brown ale and a cheap Merlot. The non-alc version uses apple juice and cranberry juice. The tartness of the wine or cranberry juice give the otherwise very cider-y drink quite a bit of depth, as do the clove-studded orange, all that stuff...
[In fact, when it comes to soothing a sore throat, clove pretty much rules. It's naturally antiseptic and has numbing qualities. It really can't be over-done in wassail. :P]
September 23, 2012 at 9:29 AM