"The beagle stretched out his paws moving them millimetres closer to the grate, where the glowing embers provided the warmth his injured paw craved. He took a sip from the mug of hot cider and aquavit that the fox had ladled from a pan on the stove. The warmth and the spice soothed him from the inside out and he let out an involuntary squeak of pleasure." - Christmas with Fox & Beagle

The Scandinavians know a thing or two about surviving cold winters, so we turn to them for this winter warmer.

Mulled cider has been growing in popularity in recent years and can often be found alongside mulled wine at a Christmas market. For those that aren't a fan of mulled wine (the beagle included) a spiked mulled cider is a less sickly sweet, less cloying alternative.

A pan of this spiced cider bubbling away on the stove, when combined with a splash of Nordic spirit, provides a warm welcome at this time of year.