This past weekend I was treated to a delicious glass of Glögg. My friend Tom served it as part of our book club lunch on Saturday. Glögg has been around at least since the 17th century (and probably before) and is derived from the German term “gluhwein”. The traditional Scandinavian winter drink mixes wine and port with spices like clove, cardamom and cinnamon to make for a brew that smells divine and tastes even better.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water or orange juice
  • 1 (3-inch) piece orange rind
  • 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 5 whole allspice
  • 2 cardamom pods, bruised
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  • 1 (750-ml) bottle red wine, such as Burgundy
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • Garnishes: blanched almonds, golden raisins

Preparation

  1. Combine first 9 ingredients in a pot over medium heat. Bring mixture to a simmer, being careful not to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Strain mixture, and serve immediately, or gently reheat before serving. (If you prefer a stronger flavor, steep spices longer before straining.) Garnish, if desired.
  2. Note: For a nonalcoholic version, use water or orange juice, and substitute 3 cups Concord grape juice for the wine. Omit sugar, and follow glögg procedure.