Lynne’s Back to Skål Special

The warmth of holiday season makes its way up to your cheeks as Scandinavian style glögg slides down your throat. I first drank this good stuff on one of many Christmas Eves spent at my college roommate, author Julie C. Gardner’s family home. Her Swedish grandfather Knute served it up hot and I never forgot. Years later, I lived in Scandinavia and enjoyed glögg with friends in their homes and outside around the fire in Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens. Below is my version of this heartwarming holiday beverage. I bottle and give it out to those I love during the holidays each year. Leaving it warming on the stove during a holiday gathering permeates your entire home with the smell of good cheer; it is literally, hospitality in a glass. Skål!

Serves 12-15
3 750 ml bottles of good quality (but not too expensive) red wine (I like a Claret or red Zinfandel for this, but any red varietal or blend will do)
3 750 ml bottles of good quality (but not too expensive) port
2 cups slivered almonds
2 cups raisins
1 tsp whole cloves (Alternative: If you don’t have whole cloves, whole cinnamon or whole cardamom, merely sprinkle three of four dashes of each ground spice into the mix. Sometimes, I add sprinkles of spices anyway, even when using a sachet of whole spices.)
1 tsp whole cardamom pods
2-3 cinnamon sticks
1 orange
4 3/4 cups brandy
1-2 cups granulated white sugar (to taste)
12 cinnamon sticks for garnish

Pour the bottles of wine and port, along with the slivered almonds and raisins into a large stock pot. Heat on high and keep watch, Just before it boils, bring it down to the lowest simmer. While it’s warming, cut a 12 inch section of cheese cloth, open and place the whole cloves, cardamom and 2-3 cinnamon sticks in the middle. Sachet by gathering the ends and tying it into a pouch with the end of a 15-20 inch piece of butcher string. Place the pouch of spices into the wine/port mixture and tie the free end of the string to the pot’s handle (this is for easy removal). Zest an orange over your mixture, then cut it in half and squeeze out the juice into the mix. Drop the entire orange in the pot. Add all of the brandy and then add the sugar to taste (keep tasting as you add and it get’s even more fun!) Ladle the hot glögg into mugs or festive, heat resistant glasses and include some almonds and raisins in every glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick. Skål!

Note on making ahead: You can make the glögg several days ahead of time and store it in the fridge. When ready to serve, heat again to a low simmer and add more orange zest for fresh citrus flavor. Leftovers can be refrigerated and used for a couple of weeks if you don’t drink it all first!