Scrumptious Extras

Readers and Subscribers,

First, thanks so much to all of you who have followed the book blog tour and to all our new readers.

This week, our topic is the Scrumptious Extras that we bake, make or mix up--only during the holiday season. For me, it's wassail, that Norse drink whose name means "Be in good health." In A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts, page 79, I tell about my first taste of wassail in my childhood home and how I later acquired the recipe from the bank, who had earlier given some to Dad.

There wasn't room in the book to include the recipe, so here it is for you, and as I said in my essay, to now wrap my hands around a warm mug of wassail is to conjure up memories of my childhood home and that first whiff of wassail, like holding a cup of pumpkin pie. Enjoy!!

Do you have a scrumptious extra you make only at Christmas? Share with us, please.

Recipe ran in the Houston Chronicle Food Section years ago, submitted by then Bank of the Southwest. I hope that's enough credit to not infringe on copyrights. I tried to get one from them to include recipe in book, but couldn't reach the right person, and the bank has undergone many name changes since the recipe was published.

Wassail / Cathy

2 qts apple cider

1 cup lemon juice

2 cups orange juice

1 cup sugar or honey

2 tsp. whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

Simmer for ten minutes until flavors blend.