With temperatures now approaching the sub zeros it’s essential to keep warm. During today’s cloudless day it’s possible to even bask for a while in the winter sun and enjoy the glistening spectacle of new-fallen snow on our appenines mountains.

However, come 16.00 it’s time to start thinking about lighting that living room fire.

More than that. How about some hot drink to warm ones belly? Hot cocoa is fine and we like to make a generous cup using ‘Ciobar’ with a splash of cream on top. However, we are in Italy and what better than concocting some mulled wine for an evening tipple. One doesn’t need any expensive main ingredient for this. No Chiantis or Morellinos need apply! In fact, the cheaper the plonk the better the result in my opinion. I go for a cardboard brick of ‘Vino Rosso’ at just a euro to which I add 100 grams of sugar,

4 short cinnamon sticks

Orange peel

and cloves

I mix up everything and then pour it in a saucepan to heat up the tincture.

Do not boil the wine! Just get it to a nice palate-warming temperature and the humblest vineyard product can taste like the ambrosia of the gods.

More than that, the liquid can truly give oneself courage to face another bleak midwinter evening where it is only the howls of the appenine wolves and the hooting of the owl which, as Keats so aptly wrote in the ‘Eve of Saint Agnes’, ‘for all his feathers is a-cold’, that keeps us company in the perils of the coming night.

And tomorrow morning? Let’s trust blue skies will appear after the morning’s valley mists have cleared and then the vernal sun will be tantalisingly warm for an hour or two before we start thinking again of lighting the fire and that glass of mulled wine.