Glögg (Swedish mulled wine)

Glögg yourself!

This Swedish mulled wine is fun to say and fun to drink (go on, use it in a sentence… “your glögg is showing” or maybe “what the glögg!”…?). Some recipes call for the sugar to be soaked in brandy and set on fire, with more brandy ladled on top until the sugar has dissolved - but this recipe is a little less flammable.

Cardamom pods, cinnamon, cloves, and orange zest are the traditional base for this winter drink, as are the raisins and almonds present in each cup. Combinations of alcohol like red wine, Muscatel, tawny port, brandy, and Aquavit (a potent, vodka-like spirit flavored with caraway seeds) vary from family to family, though, so feel free to experiment!


Directions:
1 ¾ cups water
18 cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
12 whole cloves
½ orange, zested
¾ cup sugar
½ cup raisins
½ cup blanched almond slivers
1 bottle Muscatel wine
½ bottle tawny port

1. Bring water to a boil with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and orange zest; stir in sugar until dissolved. Remove from heat, and allow to steep for several hours, or overnight.
2. Bring to a simmer, and pour in the Muscatel and port. Add the raisins and almonds, and raise the temperature so that the mixture is steaming - be careful not to simmer though, for fear of cooking off the alcohol.
3. Serve warm in a mug, with some fruit and almonds in each cup.

Recipe yields 5 servings.