Glögi — spiced mulled wine for winter nights
A heated red wine infused with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and orange zest, sweetened and spiced, served piping hot over almonds and raisins. The spiced warmth of polar nights.
A heated red wine infused with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and orange zest, sweetened and spiced, served piping hot over almonds and raisins. The spiced warmth of polar nights.
When December drowns Helsinki in darkness and the cold bites your fingers, we heat up glögi. Wine, spices — cinnamon, ginger, my dear cardamom again —, an orange zest, and you never let it boil, above all, or you kill the soul of the thing. At the bottom of the cup, raisins and almonds swollen with warmth. You drink it slowly, hands around the glass, and you remake the world and logic until deep night.
- •Red wine — one bottle (base)
- •Cinnamon sticks — two (spice)
- •Crushed cardamom pods — a few (signature)
- •Ginger — a piece (spicy warmth)
- •Cloves — a few (spice)
- •Orange zest — from one orange (citrus)
- •Sugar or honey — to taste (sweetness)
- •Raisins and almonds — a handful (garnish at the bottom of the glass)
Glögi — spiced mulled wine for winter nights
A heated red wine infused with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and orange zest, sweetened and spiced, served piping hot over almonds and raisins. The spiced warmth of polar nights.
Why this dish? In the long Nordic winters where von Wright lived and worked, glögi is the ritual hot drink of Advent — the one that warms hands and loosens tongues during evenings among academics. A drink of conversation, exactly the social function von Wright ascribed to meals.
When December drowns Helsinki in darkness and the cold bites your fingers, we heat up glögi. Wine, spices — cinnamon, ginger, my dear cardamom again —, an orange zest, and you never let it boil, above all, or you kill the soul of the thing. At the bottom of the cup, raisins and almonds swollen with warmth. You drink it slowly, hands around the glass, and you remake the world and logic until deep night.
Ingredients (period version)
- Red wine — one bottle (base)
- Cinnamon sticks — two (spice)
- Crushed cardamom pods — a few (signature)
- Ginger — a piece (spicy warmth)
- Cloves — a few (spice)
- Orange zest — from one orange (citrus)
- Sugar or honey — to taste (sweetness)
- Raisins and almonds — a handful (garnish at the bottom of the glass)
Ingredients
- Full-bodied red wine — 75 cl (base)
- Cinnamon sticks — 2 (spice)
- Crushed cardamom pods — 6 (signature)
- Fresh ginger, sliced — 4 slices (warmth)
- Cloves — 4 (spice)
- Zest of an unwaxed orange — 1 orange (citrus)
- Brown sugar — 3 to 4 tbsp (sweetness)
- Raisins and blanched almonds — 4 tbsp (garnish)
Method
- Pour the wine into a saucepan with the spices, ginger and orange zest.
- Heat very gently, never letting it boil, and let infuse for 20 to 30 minutes at barely perceptible simmer.
- Add sugar and stir to dissolve; taste and adjust.
- Divide raisins and almonds among heatproof glasses or cups.
- Strain the hot glögi over the garnish and serve immediately, with a small spoon for the plumped raisins.
- For a non-alcoholic version, replace the wine with blackcurrant or grape juice.
How it was made : Glögi descends from the spiced, heated wines common in Northern Europe since the Middle Ages to make mediocre wine drinkable and to fight the cold. In Finland, it is inseparable from the Advent season; a non-alcoholic version made with berry juice is also served to children.
The contemporary twist : A splash of vodka or blackcurrant liqueur at serving time, and a cinnamon stick planted in the glass as a fragrant stirrer.
Georg Henrik von Wright · Charactorium
