Vin Brule: a tradition not to be missed in Florentine winter

Few drinks go more with the winter than a good wine. Even better if it’s a Vin Brulè! Mulled wine with spices is an elixir for the palate and warms the body and soul on cold days, not just in Florence, but throughout Italy and northern Europe.

Legend has it that it was Hippocrates, a Greek doctor from the 5th century BC, who invented the Vin Brulè. It would have been him who introduced cinnamon into the recipe precisely because of its numerous beneficial properties.

The origins of Vin Brulè also date back to Ancient Rome. “De Re Coquinaria”, the only gastronomic document from the Empire era, describes mulled wine sweetened with honey and flavored with pepper, lard leaves, saffron and dates.

France had nothing to do with this story, but the name given to mulled wine is French. Why? Probably because the wine most used in its preparation is Cabernet, of French origin. Brulè comes from the expression “ça brûle” and literally means “to burn”. In fact, the wine is heated together with the sugar and spices and then ignited on the surface to evaporate the alcohol.

But don’t get excited thinking that you can drink it like grape juice, because Vin Brulè remains alcoholic after preparation. Of course, the amount of alcohol is lower than in wine at room temperature, but it’s still there.

Do you want to prepare Vin Brulè at home? Here is a very traditional recipe:

 

Ingredients

500 ml of red wine

100 g of sugar

The zest of an orange

The zest of a lemon

Cloves to taste

1 cinnamon stick

star anise to taste

1 pinch of grated nutmeg

 

Preparation

1. Wash and dry the orange and lemon, being careful not to remove the white part (which would make the wine too bitter).
2. Pour the wine, sugar, orange and lemon peel and spices into a pan.
3. Bring to the boil and cook for about 5 minutes, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
4. Wait a few minutes, then filter the mulled wine, pour it into the cups and voilà!