[HPFGU-OTChatter] Mulled Mead and Mulled Wine... MULLED, say what?

[GulPlum]

At 00:11 24/11/03 , Steve wrote:

>Anybody here ever had a Mulled beverage, and would you care to
>enlighten us with your opinion?

!?!? Christmas isn't Christmas without mulled wine! I'm really quite 
surprised that a native English speaker is unfamiliar with the term (though 
perhaps I shouldn't be)...

Asking (middle-class and higher?) British adults whether they've tried 
mulled wine is akin to ... well, asking North Americans if they've ever 
tried Maple syrup... (although until fairly recently, the number of Brits 
who'd tried maple syrup would have been very small).

Whilst the British Isles aren't exactly a centre of viniculture, mulling 
wine (or, indeed, mead) is an integral part of our culture. Then again, 
there are those who might say that British wines can only be made palatable 
by mulling them... :-)

As to my own opinion of what it's like, even the pre-packed spice mixtures 
sold in supermarkets do a splendid job (although I prefer to make up my own 
mixture, very heavy on cloves, a taste I adore - though not everyone 
agrees, which is fine by me as I'm left with more tipple).