Rum Apple Cider Wassail

The word wassail comes from the salute waes hail, which was a common Medieval English greeting, and even farther back from a pre-Norman conquest Anglo-Saxon toast meaning "be in good health." From those beginnings, the term wassail was applied to a traditional, hearty drink of hot mulled fruit cider flavored with spices. The warm beverage was an essential part of the ritual of wassailing, a popular drinking and singing tradition in southern medieval England. The ceremony was meant to secure a good apple harvest in the following year by singing to the orchard trees. Later, wassailing also became known as the tradition of going door-to-door greeting neighbors with song during the winter holidays.

The earliest recorded recipes of wassail included warmed mead, an ale brewed with honey, which was then brewed with roasted crab apples. Later, the beverage became a mulled cider made with sugar and various spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Today, wassail recipes are abundant, with home cooks putting their personal twists on the traditional historical drink. Modern recipes can begin with wine, fruit juice, or mulled ale with brandy or sherry added. Fresh apples or oranges are often added to the brew. 

Our wassail recipe, which appears in the Country Inn and Bed & Breakfast Cookbook by Kitty and Lucian Maynard, calls for easy-to-find ingredients like apple cider and cranberry juice and gets its kick from optional rum and aromatic bitters. This drink is perfect for a party, can be served like a punch, and fills the house with wonderful, spicy aromas. Fresh non-alcoholic apple cider from a local apple orchard or cider mill is best, but you can substitute with store-bought ciders available year-round as well. This rum version is sure to warm you through any cold weather but is especially popular during the Christmas and New Year's holidays.