Drink: Classic winter warmers

Warm winter drinks are such a pleasure over Christmas. It's usually freezing outside and when I am at home in Ireland it is almost always wet, so the first thing I do when I go indoors is make one of these comforting drinks. They are all alcoholic but there are alternatives. This week at market I am doing a hot spiced apple juice (made using delicious Luscombe juice, from heirloom apples), which is like the spiced cider but has vanilla in too, perfect with the sweet, slightly sour juice. Try it with the pork from last week's piece.

IRISH HOT PORT
Serves 1
*1 tsp brown sugar
*70ml port
*1 unwaxed lemon slice, studded with four cloves

Dissolve sugar in 70ml of just-boiled hot water and add the port. Lightly squeeze the lemon slice into the drink and add the slice. Serve immediately.

MULLED WINE
Serves 8-10
*3 clementines, halved
*2 bottles red wine, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo works really well
*250ml port
*2 cinnamon sticks
*2 bay leaves
*75g brown sugar
*12 cloves
*1 nutmeg

Gently squeeze the clementines into a pot containing the wine, port, cinnamon, bay leaves and sugar. Stud the clementine shells with the cloves and add them. Grate in one-third of the nutmeg. Bring to just before the boil, ensuring the sugar is dissolved. Check the sweetness. Allow to cool a little and serve after 10-15 minutes.

SPICED CIDER
Serves 6
*1 litre good cider
*150ml cider brandy
*2 cinnamon sticks
*75g caster sugar (this assumes a sour cider)
*6 allspice berries
*1 nutmeg
*1 firm apple, cored and cut into thick slices
*12 cloves

Put the cider and brandy in a pot with the cinnamon and sugar. Bash the allspice and add. Grate in a third of the nutmeg. Stud the apple slices with cloves and add. Bring the mixture to just above the boil and check the sweetness. Allow to cool. Serve after 10 minutes.

Adapted from Comfort & Spice by Niamh Shields (£14.99, Quadrille)