Wassail tea - Dairy Foods

I have been spending the holidays in a small town in North Dakota. The weather has been frigid with tons of snow and blowing wind so I have been staying indoors as much as possible. My mother-in-law introduced me to Wassail Tea the first day I arrived and I have drank it every day since. This tea is warm, full of comforting spices and smells amazing and is the perfect drink for the holidays and the winter months.

Never hearing the word wassail before, I looked it up on Wikipedia and this is the definition I found: Wassail is a hot, spiced punch often associated with Christmas. Particularly popular in Germanic countries, the term itself is a contraction of the Middle English phrase wæs hæil, meaning "be healthy".

Though there are many Wassail tea recipes online, I think this one is particularly special because it comes from my mother-in-laws cookbook dating back to 1978, some of the pages were hand-written and some were typed using a typewriter. The recipes were contributed by the women from the church in town.

Wassail Tea

2 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 Tablespoon whole cloves
5 cinnamon sticks
1 1/4 quart water
5 allspice berries

Combine the above ingredients and boil for 10 minutes. Let stand covered for 1 hour.

Add:
1 quart orange juice
1 cup lemon juice
2 1/2 quart sweet cider

Note: doubled recipe will make 2 1/2 gallons and will serve around 50. Taste improves each time it is warmed up.

{Photo credit: Breakfast and Brunch Recipes}