One of our favorite memories of our prior Northern California neighborhood was on Christmas Eve when the street was cleared of cars and lit up with luminaries. No matter how cold it was (yeah, you people who live in cold climates will scoff to hear that us Californians tend to grumble about going out on a 45 degree night) we would take a walk up the street and enjoy the blissful ambiance. But to top it off, we had a destination; the house at the end of the block always awaited the neighbors with hot mulled wine. Yum.

It’s that time of year and especially if you’re in the cold weather hot mulled wine really hits the spot. Though it seems to be de rigueur at Christmas, don’t hesitate to treat guests to it throughout the winter season.

Here’s our favorite recipe but please share yours with us too! This one won an online contest for pomegranate recipes on the Food52.com website:

• 1 bottle of red wine*
• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon whole clove

*Low to mid-priced Zinfindels and Cabernets work well so no need to overspend on this.

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large heavy pot, like a dutch oven, or a crock-pot.
2. Stir well to dissolve the honey, slowly warming over low heat, without boiling.
3. Keep it barely hot all day, topping up with more wine, juice, and honey for guests.

Enjoy your friends and family over the holidays. And please drive defensively…all those other people might be drinking too much hot mulled wine!