Care to drink in a bit of history? A true American aperitif that is "prepared in the favored style of XVIIth century English Settlers". It's from Jamestown Cellars and is appropriately called "Settler's Spiced Wine". Eight bucks a bottle. A couple of places in town have it including the IGA in Marshall.

It's very close in flavor to a mulled cider but it's a grape wine with added spices. Drank warm or cold, it's an acquired taste. Like drinking a warm Scotch Old Fashioned with a drizzle of clove cigarette. I imagine the early primordial settlers must have felt the same way and dumped this stuff on a dead boar or pillaged chicken.

It was by accident that I splashed some of this on a pork tenderloin.

This potion is excellent to cook with. Braising most specifically. Braising is basically cooking with high heat, add a little fat, brown the meat and douse it with a liquid. So easy a caveman can do it. The remains that are stuck in the pan are flavorful morsels that are gifts from heaven and a base for your sauce.

(This recipe can be found at http://www.mbecc.com/fbts)

I present one-pan primordial recipes for chicken and brisket along with a superb veggie dish. Let's hope for the Return of Winter.