IKEA isn't just a furniture resource. We went to a holiday party yesterday that was inspired by our Swedish host's traditions and his appreciation for everything IKEA has to offer. The food was all IKEA: meatballs, salmon, cheeses, chocolates. Most importantly, the glögg was flowing, a traditional Scandinavian hot drink that we had never tried before. You can also buy a spiced red wine base for your glögg at, of course, IKEA.
If you're feeling ambitious, try this recipe from scratch:
Chef's tip
The Glögg will be even spicier and will have a fuller taste if you bottle it and leave it for a week. You can also leave out the vodka if you want something with less alcohol."
Ingredients
1 bottle of red wine (inexpensive)
1/4 - 1/2 cup (50 ml - 100 ml) vodka (optional)
5 - 20 whole cloves
1 large teaspoonful cardamom seeds
2 - 4 pieces (sticks) cinnamon
1 - 2 pieces ginger
Peel from half a lemon
1/2 - 1 cup (125 - 250 ml) sugar
1 large teaspoonful vanilla sugar
Preparation
Crush the cinnamon and cardamom. Peel the lemon. Put all the spices and peel into a glass jar with the vodka.
Cover. Leave overnight. Strain the vodka, discard the spices.
Mix the spiced vodka with the wine and sugar.
Heat all the ingredients in a large saucepan until steaming hot. Do not boil! Stir and taste.
If not sweet enough, add more sugar. If too sweet, add more wine.
(Thanks, Andreas!)
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The Joy of Cooking has a recipe for mulled wine that seems like it would produce something similar. I've had great success with it, particularly at parties. The Joy recipe uses four bottles and you can use cheap wine (I've used Trader Joe's Purple Moon shiraz and it's worked out well).
Vodka in glogg? Eeeeeeewwwwww.
I'd recommend using a mixture of one bottle red wine, one bottle port wine (ruby not tawny) and half a bottle of brandy. Mull over low heat (not boil) with the spices, cirtus peel, some raisins and blanched almonds.
While mulling, in a saucepan, mix the brandy with 2 cups sugar over low heat, stirring constantly, letting it bubble up a little. When its a nice golden brown syrup, but a match to it and flambe until the alcohol burns off. The resulting carmelization is da bomb.
Add your carmelized brandy to the wine & spices, cover and mull for 2 hours. Strain out the spices and peel and serve with some extra brandy added to the cups for some kick.
Its essentially the same as gloogi in Finland and the gluvine in Germany (i.e. mulled wine). This is readily available during Christmas throughout Europe and also a available at Chicago's own Christkindl Market in the loop.