Step 1:
Zest the fruit
If you're microwaving your mulled wine, you can skip directly to Step 5, and use fruit slices instead of fruit zest. But if you're mulling on the stove, begin by washing and then zesting the fruit.
Wash the fruit skins as thoroughly as possible. Many fruit growers wax their fruits to make them look more appealing--and you don't want wax in your wine! Use a commercially sold fruit and vegetable wash, which you can find at most grocery stores or health food stores, and a fruit and vegetable brush or sponge. If you can't find a special wash, just wash the fruit with a little dishwashing liquid and then dry it thoroughly, wiping off as much wax as possible. The wax will come off in very thin, slightly opaque flakes.
To zest the fruit, simply rub it gently on the smallest grate on a grater. Be careful not to grate the white skin, or "pith," found underneath the orange or yellow color, which is bitter to the taste.
Set the zest aside, and save the skinless fruit for later stages in mulling the wine. At this point, it's a good idea to peel the white pith off the fruit completely and throw it away.
|
2torials:
Learnlets: