Traveling during the Christmas season is something particularly wonderful. The cities are decorated and illuminated, people are full of anticipation, and the entire atmosphere is magical. But the nice thing is that you can also have these festive feelings at home, either to get in the mood for your trip or, if you are more of a summer traveller, to experience the magic of a European Christmas at home.
Scents have a special way of setting the mood, a touch of cinnamon, a hint of orange, and suddenly it feels like the holidays. Our sense of smell is deeply tied to memory and emotion, it can transport us to cozy markets, festive evenings, or moments shared with loved ones.
During the Christmas season, many European cities have a special smell, because of the Christmas markets. The scent of mulled wine, roasted almonds, and gingerbread flows through the streets.
The wonderful thing is that you can bring some of these smells and thus the magic of Christmas into your own home. Here is a mulled wine and a cookie recipe for you to try.
The Mulled Wine is a European classic, and done slightly differently in the different countries, but here is the version as it is made in Austria:
In a pot, gently heat the wine with sugar, citrus, and spices. Do not let it boil, just allow it to slowly warm and infuse for about 15–20 minutes, until the fragrance begins to fill your home. Strain before serving and pour into heatproof glasses. Garnish with an orange slice and a cinnamon stick, and enjoy the comforting essence of winter.
Christmas cookies are the perfect accompaniment to mulled wine. A simple shortcrust pastry is often perfect for this. It can be cut into shapes using cookie cutters and decorated with icing and sprinkles after baking.
Mix butter and sugar until creamy, then add the egg and vanilla. Stir in the flour and salt until a smooth dough forms. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out, cut out the shapes, and bake at 180 °C / 350 °F for 10–12 minutes, until golden at the edges. Once cooled, the biscuits can be gently decorated with a little icing, sprinkles or chocolate, and enjoyed alongside a steaming mug of mulled wine.
