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Wassail Bowl

The wassail bowl used in ancient days to be served specially on Christmas Eve. It was brought into the banqueting hall with songs and carols, and crowned with garlands. To make it, grate half a nutmeg, and put it into a saucepan with one clove, a quarter of an ounce of grated ginger, half a small blade of mace, an inch of stick cinnamon, and two or three coriander and cardamom seeds. Pour upon these ingredients a tea-cupful of cold water, and let them boil. Then add two bottles of white wine, not sweet, and three-quarters of a pound of refined sugar. Pour the mixture into a large saucepan, and set it on the fire. Break the yolks of six eggs and the whites of three into the wassail bowl. When the wine is warm, mix a tea-cupful of it with the eggs in the bowl; when it is a little warmer, add another teacupful, and repeat until five tea-cupfuls have been used. Let the remaining wine boil, and pour it upon the eggs, stirring briskly all the time to froth the liquid. Core, but do not pare, six apples; fill the cavity with sugar, roast them, and throw them into the bowl. Serve very hot. Though sherry or Madeira ought properly to be used, good raisin wine will make an excellent wassail, especially if a tumblerful of brandy be added to it.