The Main Event (Page Three)
The main event is about to begin... The Fire-Tongs Bowls are in place in the dining area and the mulled wine has been simmering all day!
A Typical Receipt:
- Wash the oranges and lemons thouroughly, pat dry and cut into slices or wedges
- In a large pot add red wine, oranges, lemons, cinnamon and cloves. Heat up slowly, but do not let it boil.
- Move pot from heat and place it on a heating surface, stove or flame (which you can place on the table, like the one you use for Fondue).
- Add ginger.
- Place the sugar loaf above the red wine mixture (about 1 inch above the surface). You can use a special "fire tongs", which is made for this purpose. You can also a kind of wire netting to place the sugar loaf on.
- Soak the sugar loaf with rum and light up the alcohol. The sugar will melt and drip into the wine. Add rum (little by little) to keep the fire burning until the sugar loaf is used up.
- After the sugar loaf is used up stir gently and serve. If you like you can also use the orange or lemon wedges too.
Spice bags soak in the mulled wine (Did you see the eye of newt?)
Hans moves the mulled wine into the dining area and into the pots
The Quality Control Inspector pops in!
Sue finishes off her wine before the mulled wine is poured
We are ready to go!
We will just have to carry everything in by hand
Sugar cones (sugarloafs) comes to the table
Did You Know? - A sugarloaf was the usual form in which refined sugar was produced and sold until the late 19th century, when granulated and cube sugars were introduced. A tall cone with a rounded top was the end-product of a process that saw the dark molasses-rich raw sugar, which was imported from sugar cane growing regions such as the Caribbean and Brazil, refined into white sugar.
Carefully set on their stands, the pots are prepared for the heat!
Having fun!
The little cone looks so innocent just sitting there!
WARNING.... 151 at work!
Notice how the cone turns brown as the 151 soaks into the sugar
Marion checks to be sure she has 911 on fast dial
The fires begin!
The towel is ready and John is wearing tennis shoes!
Lights On!
Lights Off
Such a beautiful flame.... Where are the moths?
Did You Know? - As with all high-alcohol beverages, Bacardi 151 is flammable. Bacardi 151 has multiple warnings on the label of the bottle stating that it should not be ignited or exposed to an open flame. Bottles are also equipped with a stainless steel flame arrester crimped onto the neck of the bottle to prevent the rum inside the bottle from igniting, in case a consumer ignores the warnings and applies the rum to a source of ignition (e.g. a flaming pan or dish, a flambé).
The sugar is beginning to melt
Did You Know? - Sugar does melt at 340°F. It decomposes once you get to hotter temperatures, which is why caramel darkens till it becomes burnt sugar.
Hans adds a little more booze to the sugar
Do NOT pour it out of the bottle directly... Use a ladel
Four people were hypnotized... Three got naked!
(Send $50 in cash for the names)
One can feel the heat across the room
Perhaps a little more... Oh dear... Bob brought hot-dogs
Pretty pretty pretty
Hans has this down to a science
"It's safer up here"
"Darn... There goes the hair on my arm!"
Quotation To Remember:
Even before Christmas has said Hello, it's saying 'Buy Buy' -- Robert Paul
One more time!
Wooooosh.... As the air is sucked out of the room
Who needs a fireplace when you have such a beautiful display?
Amazing colors... Amazing taste
The sugar drips into the mulled wine making it very sweet
Just a little more heat and it will be gone!
Another little scoop and the sugar will disappear
The wine gets sweeter with every drop
Not too much remaining....
"It's a bat"
Hans begins to ladel the wine into our special glasses
Curt gives him a hand
Warm drinks and good friends... Life is good!
Quotation To Remember:
"A lovely thing about Christmas is that it's compulsory, like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together." -- Garrison Keillor
Archie is haivng a dream
Archie helped also!
"This is good stuff"
Paul was smart.... He grabbed a BIG glass
All smiles!
Warm wine and great friends.... HAPPINESS!
