Mulled is a good word.

I made some mulled wine last night with some leftover Zinfandel. Heated up today, it's ten times better. I took a mug of it into the shower with me! How's that for a rainy day treat? (Fortunately my shower has a handy little shelf that's out of the way of the nozzle and any errant soap suds.)

Anyway, mulled wine is really easy if you've never made it: just red wine, a few heaping teaspoons of sugar, a couple cloves, a cinnamon stick, star anise if you have it, a few black peppercorns, and a few peels of orange zest. Turn it on low, cover, simmer for half an hour, then strain and sip. There are recipes that include brandy, which seems like a bit much to me (also I don't really like brandy). Some people add hunks of apples and orange and pear along with the spices--I like that, too, but the fruit doesn't hold up for long. Which is fine because honestly, would a delicious wine-poached pear or apple get left behind? Not by me. I think you could probably use any red (save for maybe a light red like pinor noir)--I've seen a lot of recipes that recommend rioja or merlot. This zinfandel tastes pretty good to me!

Alright, off to lunch (grilled cheese and Campbell's tomato soup...mmm) and then to work. I did venture out into the rain today and picked up some goods at the market. Nothing too interesting, except for kohlrabi--a new ingredient for Chefty! I had some kohlrabi soup a few weeks ago that came with a grilled scallop, it was a really interesting flavor, kind of nutty but with a tang that tasted a little like turnip (minus the sour). Yum. I'm planning to roast this with some acorn squash as a side dish for my birthday dinner this week.