Glögg

How to make glögg

The hot, spiced wine drink (popular in Sweden around Christmas) is called glögg. I make it like this:

Take an inexpensive bottle of red wine. Burgundy or merlot is good for this.

Pour 1/3 into a pot and add the following:

2 cinammon sticks
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
15 whole cloves
2 teaspoons cardamom kernels (if they come in pods, cut open the pods)
About 3/4" square Seville bitter orange peel
1 deciliter sugar

It may not be possible to find the bitter orange peel in the Bay Area. We bring it from Sweden. But the glögg turns out fine without it.

Bring it to a simmer (not boiling) and then put a lid on and turn the heat down very low, so it barely continues to simmer.

Let it simmer for 1/2 hour. Then let it cool for a few minutes and pour it back into the wine bottle with the rest of the wine through a sieve.

To serve glögg, put raisins in a small cup or microwave-safe glass, add glögg, put it in the microwave and heat (maybe 45 seconds for two cups). When it is hot add a few almonds (either almond slivers or you can blanche whole almonds to remove the skins) and serve.

Good luck!