Gløgg — spiced mulled wine of the solstice
Red wine heated with cinnamon, cardamom, clove and orange zest, sweetened and spiced, garnished with blanched almonds and plumped raisins. The liquid comfort of long boreal nights.
Red wine heated with cinnamon, cardamom, clove and orange zest, sweetened and spiced, garnished with blanched almonds and plumped raisins. The liquid comfort of long boreal nights.
When the thermometer dropped and the dome remained open for hours, nothing beat a cup of gløgg to bring warmth back to the fingers. We would heat the wine — never boil, otherwise the spirit goes — with cinnamon, clove and cardamom, and throw in a few almonds and plumped raisins at the bottom. We drank it in small sips, hands around the cup, waiting for the sky to clear. Believe me, the astronomer's patience is warmed by that fire.
- •Red wine — one bottle (base)
- •Cinnamon sticks — two (warm spice)
- •Cloves — a handful (spice)
- •Cardamom pods — a few, crushed (Nordic fragrance)
- •Bitter orange zest — from one fruit (perfumed bitterness)
- •Candy sugar or honey — to taste (sweetness)
- •Blanched almonds and raisins — a handful of each (garnish)
- •Akvavit — a splash (fortification, optional)
Gløgg — spiced mulled wine of the solstice
Red wine heated with cinnamon, cardamom, clove and orange zest, sweetened and spiced, garnished with blanched almonds and plumped raisins. The liquid comfort of long boreal nights.
Why this dish? An astronomer, Hertzsprung lived by the rhythm of the long Nordic nights, his best observational allies. Gløgg is the drink of those nights: what you hold burning hot in your hands to get through December, from Denmark to the Netherlands, between two telescope readings.
When the thermometer dropped and the dome remained open for hours, nothing beat a cup of gløgg to bring warmth back to the fingers. We would heat the wine — never boil, otherwise the spirit goes — with cinnamon, clove and cardamom, and throw in a few almonds and plumped raisins at the bottom. We drank it in small sips, hands around the cup, waiting for the sky to clear. Believe me, the astronomer's patience is warmed by that fire.
Ingredients (period version)
- Red wine — one bottle (base)
- Cinnamon sticks — two (warm spice)
- Cloves — a handful (spice)
- Cardamom pods — a few, crushed (Nordic fragrance)
- Bitter orange zest — from one fruit (perfumed bitterness)
- Candy sugar or honey — to taste (sweetness)
- Blanched almonds and raisins — a handful of each (garnish)
- Akvavit — a splash (fortification, optional)
Ingredients
- Full-bodied red wine — 75 cl (base)
- Cinnamon sticks — 2 (warm spice)
- Cloves — 5 (spice)
- Crushed cardamom pods — 5 (Nordic fragrance)
- Orange zest (organic) — 1 orange (perfumed bitterness)
- Sugar — 60 g (adjust to taste) (sweetness)
- Sliced or blanched almonds — 2 tbsp (garnish)
- Raisins — 2 tbsp (garnish)
- Akvavit or port — 5 cl, optional (fortification)
Method
- Plump the raisins in a little hot water or akvavit while you prepare the wine.
- Pour the wine into a saucepan with cinnamon, cloves, crushed cardamom and orange zest.
- Heat gently without ever boiling (below 80°C), to preserve aromas and alcohol; let infuse 20 to 30 minutes.
- Add sugar and taste to adjust; strain out the spices.
- Divide plumped raisins and almonds among cups, pour the hot gløgg over and serve.
How it was made : Scandinavian spiced mulled wine (gløgg/glögg) descends from medieval heated wines. At the turn of the 20th century, it was inseparable from Advent festivities throughout Scandinavia, served with almonds and raisins, often fortified with akvavit. A non-alcoholic version was made with fruit juice for children.
The contemporary twist : Served in a clear glass mug, the almonds and raisins float like stars: a nod to the astronomer's diagram.
Ejnar Hertzsprung · Charactorium
