A few years ago, Liz and I took a Christmas Market river cruise on the Rhine from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Besides the crafts and local foods at the Christmas Markets, there was always Glühwein (literally glow wine). Hot, a bit sweet, and spiced, Glühwein warmed us up from the inside as we wandered through the Markets. Mmm...lovely.
1 bottle bold dry red wine
(such as Cabernet Franc)
1/2 c rum or brandy (optional)
1 c water
1 large orange, peeled then juiced
1 lemon, peeled
1 lime, peeled (optional)
1/2 c agave syrup or sugar
5-6 whole cloves
1 nutmeg, about 10 gratings
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean, halved
2 star anise
Peel large sections of skin from the fruit.
Over medium heat in a medium pot, pour in agave syrup and water, then add the peels and the orange juice.
Add the cloves, nutmeg gratings, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, and star anise.
Bring to a boil, then simmer for about an hour.
The liquid will reduce so after around 30 minutes, add in about a half cup of wine. This allows the flavors to infuse and will create a syrup.
When syrup is ready, turn the heat down to low and pour in the wine and brandy.
Bring back to a gentle simmer and heat for about 5 minutes (or longer if you want to burn off more alcohol).
Ladle it into small mugs and serve warm.
Total Time: 60-90 minutes
Yield: Makes 4-6 Glasses
At Christmas Markets, Glühwein is traditionally served in small mugs, each holding a regulated 0.2l (0.2 litre). Every market seems to have its own special design, with a new one introduced every season. The cost for a mug of Glühwein includes a deposit for the mug, usually around 2€, but we rarely returned a mug to get the deposit back! We each came home with at least half a dozen small mugs!
Note: I have not yet used this particular recipe, but I like that the fruit peels and spices cook in the syrup to intensify the flavor before the wine is added. It's important to not cook off the alcohol.