Since the celebrations are still going on, the following beverage is drunk as part of the tradition of “wassailing”, an ancient English Yuletide drinking ritual that “has been practised in Britain for centuries”, notes the National Trust. Ingredients can be scaled down to suit numbers:
6 pints brown ale (3.4 litres)
1 lb (450 g) soft brown sugar
1 large stick cinnamon
1 level teaspoon grated nutmeg
Half level teaspoon ground ginger
2 lemons, thinly sliced
I bottle medium dry sherry (amontillado, for example)
Pour 2 pints of the ale into a large pan. Add the sugar and cinnamon stick, and simmer the mixture slowly over low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the spices and lemon slices, the sherry and remaining ale.
Before serving, remove the lemon slices.
Serve, if possible, with roasted apples bobbing in the bowl, but this is not crucial.
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