Mulled Wine and Stove-Top Popcorn

There's something about mulled wine and popcorn that just seem to add Christmas spirit to otherwise somewhat mundane activities.  This week we set up our Christmas tree and decorated it with the few ornaments we've accumulated over the past three years.  The mulled wine and popcorn were easy additions.

 

I purchased a tin of mulling spices a couple of years ago at Williams-Sonoma.  A little goes a long way, so this 6oz tin has lasted me several seasons.  If you don't want to purchase special mulling spices, you probably have all of the key ingredients in your kitchen:  cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and orange rind.  Put the spices either in a tea steeper or a bit of cheesecloth sachet tied with kitchen twine or string. 

Heat the wine over medium heat in a small saucepan and add the sachet of mulling spices (one sachet about the size of a single teabag is sufficient for half a bottle of wine).  Add about 1T sugar.  Heat and serve.

Meanwhile, heat butter in a soup pan with a lid.  Add the popcorn and swirl around in the butter to coat each kernel.  Heat to medium-high heat and cover.  When the corn starts popping, pick up the pot and shake it every 30 seconds or so to make sure the unpopped kernels are on the bottom and the popped corn is on top (so it doesn't burn).  When all of the corn is popped, sprinkle with salt.

Happy holidays!