I LOVE Christmas! There we go I’ve said it. There’s probably people despairing as they read that, but this year as soon as we’d waved away the trick or treaters on 31st October I’ve been in full on Christmas mood.
For me the moment that sealed it was sitting down with a mug of Henry Westons Mulled Cider that I’d been sent to review and my subscription copy of the Christmas issue of Country Living. Nice magazines are one of my guilty pleasures and whenever I open Country Living I’m always transported to the old village rectory that features in many of my dreams and a whole different dream lifestyle.
This issue has the most gorgeous article in it about a Christmas service at St Beuno’s church on Exmoor, England’s smallest church. There’s just something about that article and the accompanying photographs that transported me straight to Exmoor and I could feel the chill in the air as they walked to the church (the only way as the nearest road is a mile away) followed by the welcoming warmth as they pushed open the door upon arrival. Sipping a warming festive drink whilst reading was just completely the right thing to be doing.
I’m very familiar with mulled wine having drunk plenty of it over the years, but mulled cider was a new concept to me – although having now seen how many recipes there are online for it I’m struggling to see how I missed it until now!
The beauty of Henry Westons Mulled Cider is that you haven’t got to faff around making it yourself. It comes in a 2.25l bag in a box and you can simply pour yourself a mug full and then heat it in the microwave whenever you fancy a warming tipple. If you’re going in for a “mulled wine and mince pie party” then you could turn it into a mulled cider party instead by emptying the whole bag into a pan and putting it on a low heat on the hob to warm it through. I’m also guessing you could bung it in the slow cooker too – slightly more energy efficient.
I was really impressed with how the mulled cider tasted. It’s got that crisp cider edge whilst also giving off a lovely Christmassy aroma when warmed. I love how it tastes and it’s definitely the perfect accompaniment to a mince pie on a cold winter’s evening. Being able to prepare just a mug full at a time is genius too as it means it’s not just something you drink at a larger gathering. We’ll definitely be drink this at Christmas time – assuming it lasts that long!
Disclaimer: I was sent some Henry Weston Mulled Cider for the purposes of this review. All views and opinions are my own.
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