【明報專訊】It is getting colder as Christmas is around the corner! Let's prepare a traditional mulled drink for the festive season!

◆Ingredients

．chocolate chips

．cinnamon(肉桂)

．star anise(八角)

．bay leaf(月桂葉)

．whipped cream

．vanilla marshmallows

．milk

(1)Heat the milk in a small saucepan on medium heat and bring it to boil.

(2)Switch to low heat and add in cinnamon, star anise, bay leaf and chocolate chips.

(3)Stir slowly until the chocolate chips are completely molten and mixed well with the milk.

(4)Pour the drink into a cup. Add the whipped cream and marshmallows and serve.

Enjoy!

Quick tip

You can cut the chocolate chips into smaller pieces before adding them to the boiling milk so that they can melt faster.

■Do you know?

The tradition of drinking mulled wine (香料紅酒) originated in the second century with the Romans. Because of the cold winter, the Romans added warming spices such as cinnamon, star anise and bay leaves in wine to keep themselves warm. As time went by it became a symbolic Christmas drink. People may also add vanilla pods, ginger, citrus fruits (e.g. lemon, tangerine) and many other warming spices into their family recipe according to their own taste!

■Glossary

mull (v) 將……製成熱飲

originate (v) 起源於

spice (n) 香料

symbolic (adj) 具標誌性的

[Smarties' Power English 第233期]