Sops in Wine (Spiced Wine-Soaked Bread)

The Quirky Foodster Team

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Servings

Ingredients

Red wine — 250 ml (1 cup)
Sugar — 2 tbsp
Ground cinnamon — 1/2 tsp
Ground ginger — 1/4 tsp
Ground cloves — 1 pinch
Manchet bread, crusts trimmed — 4 slices
Toasted sliced almonds, for serving — 1 tbsp

Method

Combine the wine, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a small saucepan over low heat.
Warm gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar, until steaming but not boiling, about 5 minutes.
Lay the bread slices in a shallow dish and pour the warm spiced wine evenly over them.
Let the bread soak for 3-4 minutes, turning once, until saturated but still holding its shape.
Lift the sops carefully onto small plates using tongs or a fork.
Scatter with toasted almonds and serve immediately while still warm.

Introduction: Slices of fine bread soaked in warmed, spiced wine, sops were a fashionable small dish served at the start of a Tudor meal to whet the appetite.

Cultural Background: Sops appear frequently in Tudor recipe collections, including in manuscripts associated with the households of the gentry. Soaking bread in wine was both a way of using slightly stale manchet bread and a demonstration of the household’s access to imported wine and costly spices, making sops a marker of hospitality and status at the table.

Tips: (cid:127) Slightly stale bread holds together far better than fresh bread when soaked, so day-old manchet works best. (cid:127) Warm the wine gently rather than boiling it, as boiling burns off the alcohol and mutes the flavour.

Variations: (cid:127) White wine can be used for a lighter version, though red wine is more traditional for feast-day sops. (cid:127) A little rosewater can be added to the wine for a floral note favoured in some Tudor recipe collections.

Storage: Best served immediately; not suitable for storing once assembled.

Reheating: Not recommended; sops are intended to be eaten freshly made.

Nutrition: Per serving (approx.): 150 kcal, 3 g protein, 20 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat, 1 g fibre, 110 mg sodium.

FAQs:

Q: Is this dish alcoholic?

A: Yes, it contains wine that is only gently warmed, not simmered long enough to fully cook off the alcohol; a non-alcoholic version can be made using diluted grape juice with the same spices. (cid:127) Q: What bread works best for sops? A: A fine, dense white bread such as manchet is traditional, as it absorbs the wine without disintegrating.