Traditional Wassail

Wassail predates eggnog, predates Christmas trees, predates nearly every holiday tradition Americans hold dear. The word comes from the Old Norse 'ves heill,' meaning 'be in good health.' Medieval revelers would carry bowls of this hot spiced drink door to door, singing and toasting their neighbors' apple orchards. The tradition persisted for centuries because the drink itself is extraordinary: warm cider perfumed with cinnamon and cloves, sweetened with honey, crowned with soft roasted apples that bob on the surface like edible ornaments.

The roasted apples are not decoration. When they cook long enough, their flesh bursts and mingles with the cider below, creating what the English called 'lambswool' for its frothy, wool-like appearance. This is the heart of authentic wassail. Skip the apples and you've made mulled cider. Include them and you've made something with eight hundred years of history in your cup.

I've served this at gatherings of six and gatherings of sixty. The recipe scales beautifully. More importantly, it fills your home with an aroma that announces the season has arrived before your guests remove their coats. Make it the day before if you like. The flavors only deepen.