With the holiday season upon us, there are going to be plenty of occasions to enjoy a glass of red wine with friends and family. If you are hosting the party, it will be inevitable that you will be left with multiple partially consumed bottles. Of course, the easy option would be, to simply pour it down the sink and recycle the bottles. And why not, tidying up is a pain and who doesn’t want to get it done as quickly as humanly possible, right! Well, I have recently learnt that this delicious tasting drink, has more to it than meets the eye. Believe it or not, there are several reasons why you should keep the wine and continue to enjoy all of its benefits.
Listen up ladies, there is no reason to spend your money going to spas. Instead, relax in your own home and have one of the best facial treatments ever, and here’s the reason why! The antioxidants that give red wine its grandeur, believe it or not, are equally as beneficial for your skin. The resveratrol and exfoliating tartaric acid soften, disinfect, and regenerate your skin, leaving it looking smoother and helps with the anti-aging process. It doesn’t end there, use it as a toner or simply dump the red wine into your bath water and soak the night away. Be as generous as you possibly can. Your skin will thank you later, feeling super soft and glowing afterwards.
Let’s move onto the kitchen. Do you want to serve a delicious steak for dinner and impress your family? This is where red wine is super impressive. By marinating your steak for about six hours, you can actually reduce the cancer causing compounds which are formed when frying or grilling your meat. And by reducing I mean almost nullify it completely, by a whopping 90 percent! Don’t forget to add in your usual herbs and spices too. The end result, your meat will not only taste more flavorful, be more tender, but will be more juicy too.
Still on the kitchen front, want a natural cleaner to kill unwanted bacteria on your fruit and vegetables! The alcohol in the wine will remove impurities far better than just water. It has even been reported to destroy bacteria like e.Coli and salmonella. Make a spray bottle of this and have it handy in your kitchen.
Obviously garden fertilizer is next on the list, right!! It is never too late to give your compost heap a helping hand. Red wine has made it very simple and easy. Wine acts as a compost “starter,” by spurring the bacteria in the compost to get to work. In gratitude, your garden will flourish in spendour.
Lastly, as this is the season to be jolly an‘all and with the weather getting remarkably colder, why not make your own mulled wine. Mulled wine, pronounced “mold”, which of course you knew all along, is a drink which is served hot and complemented with spices. It’s guaranteed to warm you from the inside out…just perfect for Christmas. If you haven’t tried it, don’t worry the recipe is simple.
INGREDIENTS
- 1orange, sliced and seeded
- 1⁄2cup sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 bottle red wine
DIRECTIONS
- Combine the orange, sugar, water, and spices in a large stainless steel or enameled pot.
- Slowly bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Reduce the heat, add the wine, and slowly reheat but do not boil.
- Serve warm in mugs.
- Serves 8.
Cheers!!
Photo via artifactgirl
Agua Dulce Winery 