The Best Wassail Recipe: So Easy - Feeding Your Fam (2024)

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Is wassail good for you? ›

Not only is this a warming, festive drink, but the medicinal herbs provide multiple health benefits. During the mulling process, the cinnamon, ginger, and clove impart a spicy aroma as well as anti-inflammatory, immune supporting properties to the wassail.

What is Wassail? Wassail is like the tastier sister to Apple Cider. Traditional wassail was made with hard liquor, apples, brandy, and other spices. This recipe is made with cloves, apples, cinnamon, lemon, orange, ginger, and nutmeg and is a nonalcoholic wassail recipe.

Wassail is a hot, mulled punch often associated with Yuletide, often drunk from a 'wassail bowl'. The earliest versions were warmed mead into which roasted crab apples were dropped and burst to create a drink called 'lambswool' drunk on Lammas day, still known in Shakespeare's time.

Wassailing is an English tradition which comes from the UK's cider making regions like the South West. It involves 'waking the trees' by banging pots and pans, singing,, dancing, and making lots of noise to ward off bad spirits and encourage a good harvest in the year to come.

The text of the carol employs noun and verb forms of “wassail,” a word derived from the Old Norse ves heil and the Old English was hál and meaning “be in good health” or “be fortunate.” The phrase found first use as a simple greeting, but the Danish-speaking inhabitants of England seem to have turned was hail, and the ...

By wassailing their crops in the winter, it was said to ensure a healthy crop in the spring. As Christianity began to spread, this ritual evolved further into singing and drinking to the health of next season's crops on Twelfth Night; the last night of the traditional Christmas season.

One involved groups of merrymakers going from one house to another, wassail bowl in hand, singing songs and spreading good wishes. The other form of wassailing was practiced in the countryside in fruit growing regions, where the trees were blessed.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "wassail" originated as a borrowing from the Old Norse salutation ves heill, corresponding to Old English hál wes þú or wes hál; literally meaning 'be in good health' or 'be fortunate'.

Wassailing is a Twelfth Night tradition with pagan roots and has been practised in Britain for centuries. Discover the celebration and its rituals, including sipping from a communal wassail bowl.

How do you organize a wassail? ›

“The term 'wassail' comes from an Anglo-Saxon phrase that meant good health, so it was a toast to good health,” Lynch-Thomason said. “Wassail itself was a drink, usually made from ale and cooked apples and a lot of spices that would be served in households, often around Twelfth Night or Christmastime or New Year's.

The entire event is outdoors. You should wear footwear suitable for muddy and uneven ground. Wear warm / waterproof clothing appropriate for the conditions. This is a fun evening so you may wish to dress up a little with fancy Wassail hats and coats.

“Wassail” is the modern spelling of the old English phrase “waes hael” meaning “good health!” Shared as a salutation or toast, the proper response was “drink health!” and indeed, wassail is a drink, as well. Below I'll share a versatile recipe for you to play with and savor.

Apple cider contains polyphenols, which are compounds in plants that act as antioxidants. They can help the body to fight against free radicals and cell damage, lowering your risk of certain types of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Polyphenols also help to ease inflammation in the body.

Contains heart-healthy polyphenols: Apple cider contains most of the same nutrients that apples do, including polyphenols, which possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Diets rich in foods containing polyphenols can promote cardiovascular health and protect against the development of cancer and diabetes.

It's rich in vitamin C from apple juice and citrus, supporting a robust immune system and fending off illnesses. The warming spices, including cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, aid in digestion and offer relief from common digestive discomforts.

The primary ingredient, apple cider vinegar, is known for its potential to aid digestion and control blood sugar levels. Meanwhile, the unsweetened apple juice delivers a healthy dose of vitamins and antioxidants, and the cinnamon adds a dash of anti-inflammatory properties to the mix.