Love and Joy Come To You

I'm off to the grocery store for the stuff Kimi and I need to make the potluck dishes for dinner at Liz and Jeff's tomorrow. We're making a green salad, Granny Swanson's Scalloped Corn, Kay Baumhefner's Apple Crisp, and a pumpkin pie with a crispy nut topping. While shuffling through my recipes I found "*my" Wassail recipe and have added it to my grocery shopping list. I made Wassail the first time for Christmas Day last year at Lisa, Ken, and Jordan's house; it is now on the list of Ponting family holiday traditions.

The Wassail Song lyrics and music (to inpire you)

* “Tradition of Wassail The origins of wassail (pronounced WAHS-uhl, except in some holiday songs where the accent is on the second syllable) have been traced to the 16th century. Wassailing is a gathering to wish hosts and guests a healthy, happy life. The toast is sealed with a mug of wassail, whose spices were believed to promote health and vitality.”

* Wassail
4 small apples, peeled and cored
1 Tbsp. butter
¼ cup packed brown sugar
8 cups apple cider
8 cups cranberry juice
2 cups orange juice
3 lemons, juiced (about 1/3 cup)
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced in ¼-inch slices
Spice Bundle – gather following spices in a 6-inch square of cotton cheesecloth and tie it closed with kitchen string.
5 sticks Cinnamon
2 teaspoons whole Allspice berries
2 Cardamom pods, crushed to release the seeds
1 teaspoon whole Cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Fill core of each apple with one-fourth the butter and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Place apples in 2-quart square baking dish. Pour 1 cup water around apples. Bake, uncovered, 45 to 60 minutes or until apples are soft. Cool slightly; quarter each apple. Set aside. Discard cooking liquid.

In 6-quart cooking pot combine cider, fruit juices, ginger, Spice Bundle, and apples. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 2 hours. Discard spice bundle. Strain. Makes 16 (1-cup) servings.

Spiked Wassail - right before serving stir in a shot of rum or a combination of rum and dry sherry.

*Recipe and Tradition of Wassail from Better Homes and Gardens, December 2007 .