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Non-Alcoholic Wassail

"Our wassail is made with the elderberry bough  
So now my good people, we'll drink unto though..." 

There are many recipes for wassail, and ingredients range widely from cider to beer to wine to hard liquor, mixed with fruit juices and spices. But it's easy to make it without alcohol too! As with the boozy variety, if you're making a large batch, it can be mulled over a low flame or in a crock pot for a long time to fully meld the fruit and spice flavors. However, you can approximate that pretty well with a brief period of simmering. I took inspiration for my wassail from a line in "The Gower Wassail" song which specifically mentions elderberry. In the non-alcoholic version you use elderberry tea or juice; the tea makes a wassail that is slightly less sweet. As with the alcoholic version, you can substitute blackcurrant if you can't find elderberry.

3 oz. non-alcoholic cider 
Elderberry Tea, enough for one cup, or 1 oz. elderberry juice
Juice and peel of half a lemon 
Juice and peel of half an orange
Mulling spice blend and/or whole spices (cinnamon, clove, allspice, etc.) 

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes or so. Let stand a few more minutes to cool. Strain out the spices and peels. Transfer to a mug or drinking bowl. Wassail!