Peppermint Bark, Williams Sonoma, $26.95 - $46.00
Williams-Sonoma peppermint bark is phenomenal! I wait all year for this, and every year I contemplate buying multiple tins but inevitably talk myself out of it, keeping in mind the extra pounds that I already put on over the holidays...This also makes a great gift for anyone on your list, especially for people to whom you can't give anything too personal, such as co-workers, bosses, teachers, etc.
Mulled Wine, Photo and Recipe from Martha Stewart:
My husband and I went to Paris for New Year's last year and it was pretty cold, but there were street vendors selling hot mulled wine on almost every street corner. It was phenomenal. We did a lot of walking, and would continuously stop for crepes and hot wine. I could get used to that! They should definitely sell hot wine on the street corners in New York. It would make the winters much more bearable.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large orange
- 2 cardamom pods
- 6 whole clove
- 6 allspice berries
- 6 whole black peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stick, plus 4 for garnish (optional)
- 1 bottle (3 cups) fruity red wine
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brandy
DIRECTIONS
- With a fine grater, zest, then juice the orange.
- With the flat side of a knife, press firmly on the cardamom pods to bruise them. In a large pot (not aluminum), combine zest, juice, cardamom, cloves, allspice, peppercorns, cinnamon, wine, sugar, and brandy. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low; simmer until flavors have melded, about 30 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve; garnish with cinnamon stick, if desired. Serve immediately.
Mariah Carey, Merry Christmas, Amazon, $8.31
Wine Bottle Accessories, Pottery Barn, $8
Seriously, how cute are these wine bottle accessories...Also, if you are feeling super crafty, I am sure you could DIY these with some fabric, a hot glue gun, some faux fur and a fancy button...just saying...
