Christmas recipes: Glögg, Swedish mulled wine.
Growing up, my aunt and uncle in Sweden were known among their friends for their eagerly-anticipated Christmas party. When I moved to California in 2005, I decided to extend this tradition, and have hosted my own “Glögg Party” most years since.
Glögg is the Swedish version of mulled wine, and every family has their own recipe. While fancy variants may include aquavit, bourbon and other quality spirits, my particular recipe is optimized for serving 100+ guests. It goes as follows.
Ingredients
- Copious amounts of red wine
- One bottle of vodka
- Cinnamon sticks
- Whole Cardamom
- Whole Cloves
- One Orange
- Fresh Ginger
- Sugar
- Chopped Almonds
- Raisins
Instructions
A few days ahead of the party, mix the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger and orange peels with the vodka, and let it infuse in the freezer.
On the day of the party, heat up a large pot of wine till it steams. Note that there is no sense in buying expensive wine, as most of the flavor will come from the infused vodka. I personally use Trader Joe’s “Two Buck Chuck” Merlot.
Mix in infused vodka and sugar to taste. It’ll take quite a bit of sugar — in case you hadn’t noticed, this is not the healthiest of recipes. Throw in some additional cinnamon sticks and cloves for good measure. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved.
Serve up hot and drop a handful of raisins and almonds in each cup. Don’t forget to eat these once you’ve finished, as they’ll have absorbed the flavors.
Enjoy in moderation (a lesson learned the hard way).
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