S. L. Gore

Christmas means gløgg season at the Nielsen house

December 21, 2015 at 10:30 pm 2 comments

Nectar of the Gods. The Nielsen Christmas gløgg bottled, labeled and ready to gift

Every year we put on a smashing party and pack in 50 or 60 friends to imbibe Danish spiced (mulled) and fortified warm wine known as gløgg. In case you’re wondering, it’s pronounced a little like water gurgling down a blocked drain. Glug. Glug. But with a kind of caveman growl. Put your whole body into it! Imagine how a Viking would sound.

We bottled the remainder, and I created some labels. Voila! Hostess gifts for those lovely friends who invite us this season.

Merry Christmas! Glaedelig Jul! Skål! Godt Nyt År. Happy New Year!

Countdown until guests arrive. Gløgg warm. Glass cups, raisins and almonds ready. House smelling divine.

Cautionary note: Gløgg must be served warm – but never boiled. The boiling will not only burn off the alcohol but also dampen the spices. We’ve learned the hard way.

In each glass cup, put a spoonful of raisins and blanched almonds that have been soaked for days in brandy.

The key to the spicing is to use only fresh, be very generous, and let “mull” for at least two days. note: I buy only from Penzeys which sells the best spices in America. If you can’t make it to one of their many shops, order on line Penzeys.

Ingredients in our gløgg:
Red wine (mainly)
Port wine (generously)
Brandy (a little less than port)
Rum (go easy as this is what gives it real punch. You want your guests coherent)
Cinnamon sticks
Cardamon pods
Whole cloves
Fresh ginger root
Orange peel
Lemon peel
Sugar boiled in water to create syrup

The very beginning. Start with red wine and a bottle opener.

Prep time with Jesper, Rex and Dawn

Entry filed under: Celebrations. Tags: Christmas, Danish, gløgg, Gloegg, mulled wine, Penzeys, spices.