What is the drink wassail made of?

What is the drink wassail made of?

Traditional wassail was made with hard liquor, apples, brandy, and other spices. This recipe is made with cloves, apples, cinnamon, lemon, orange, ginger, and nutmeg and is a nonalcoholic wassail recipe. You could certainly add alcohol if you wish!

How do you make wassail?

And this is what you do

1. Put on some music to create some Old Twelvey Night atmosphere.
2. Soak a slice of toast in cider and hang it in the branches of your Wassail tree.
3. Pour some cider around the roots of the tree.
4. Chant the Wassail song.
5. Make some loud noise with your pots and pans to scare away those evil spirits.

Why is it called wassail?

Wassailing predates the Battle of Hastings and is thought to have its origins in Ancient Rome, where people would make sacrifices to the Pomona, the Roman Goddess of Fruits. The word Wassail originates from the Anglo-Saxon waes-hael, meaning “to your health” and the word is used just as we would use Cheers! today.

What are the two types of wassailing?

There are two distinct variations of wassailing. One involves groups of merrymakers going from one house to another, wassail bowl in hand, singing traditional songs and generally spreading fun and good wishes.

Where does the drink wassail come from?

The term “wassail” can trace its origins to pre-Christian Britain. Anglo-Saxon tradition included a New Year celebration in the halls of the Lord of the Manor, including a mighty feast with a giant bowl of a sort of punch: a mix of cider, ale and mead infused with bountiful spices and crab apples.

What’s the difference between cider and wassail?

Whats the difference between mulled cider, spiced cider, and wassail? The short answer is NOTHING! Both mulled cider and wassail refer to a spiced juice drink. While wassail is traditionally a warm spiced apple drink, other mulled ciders contain cranberry or other flavors.

What is the tradition of wassail?

Wassailing is a Twelfth Night tradition that has been practised in Britain for centuries. It has its roots in a pagan custom of visiting orchards to sing to the trees and spirits in the hope of ensuring a good harvest the following season.

Who invented wassail?

One legend about how Wassailing was created, says that a beautiful Saxon maiden named Rowena presented Prince Vortigen with a bowl of wine while toasting him with the words ‘waes hael’. Over the centuries, a great deal of ceremony developed around the custom of drinking wassail.

What exactly is wassail?

(Entry 1 of 2) 1 : an early English toast to someone’s health. 2 : a hot drink that is made with wine, beer, or cider, spices, sugar, and usually baked apples and is traditionally served in a large bowl especially at Christmastime.

Where does wassail drink come from?

What is an orchard wassail?

A wassail queen (or king) leads a parade to a tree, often the oldest in the orchard. When she gets there, she dips a piece of toast in some mulled cider which is lifted and placed in the boughs of the tree to attract favourable spirits.

What is wassail tradition?

What was the origin of the drink Wassail?

Wassail ( /ˈwɒsəl/, /-eɪl/; Old Norse “ves heil”, Old English was hál, literally: be hale) is a beverage of hot mulled cider, drunk traditionally as an integral part of wassailing, a Medieval Christmastide English drinking ritual intended to ensure a good cider apple harvest the following year.

What kind of tree is the wassail made of?

Wassail! wassail! all over the town, Our toast it is white and our ale it is brown; Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree; With the wassailing bowl, we’ll drink unto thee.

What does the word wassail mean in English?

Wassail—or mulled cider —is a delicious fall and winter tradition that’s especially made around Christmastime in a number of European countries. Roughly translated from Old English or Old Norse, the word means “be hale,” or be hearty and healthy—a well-wishing sentiment that was spread when townsfolk would go wassailing during the apple harvest.

What’s the best way to make a wassail?

Mix apple cider, orange juice, lemon juice, pineapple juice, and sugar together in a large pot over medium-low heat. Place cloves and cinnamon in a tea ball; add ball to the apple cider mixture. Simmer mixture until warmed through, about 15 minutes.