flipGlögg (Spiced Mulled Wine for Advent)
Glögg (Spiced Mulled Wine for Advent)
Why this dish? Glögg warms the Swedish Decembers of Bergman's youth in Stockholm, before Hollywood took her away from the North. A ritual Advent drink, it recalls the actress's attachment to the holidays and flavors of her native country.
A hot, sweet drink deeply spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves, garnished with almonds and raisins. The very scent of a Swedish winter.
December in Stockholm: night falls at three o'clock, and the cold bites your cheeks. So we'd warm the glögg — gently, never boil, or the spices turn bitter. Cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, a bit of ginger, and at the bottom of the glass, almonds and raisins you'd fish out with a little spoon. We drank it among friends, hands cupped around the hot glass. Believe me, no Beverly Hills palace ever gave me that warmth.
- •Red wine — one bottle (base (non-alcoholic: grape juice))
- •Cinnamon sticks — a few (spice)
- •Cardamom pods — about ten, crushed (Nordic spice)
- •Cloves — a few (spice)
- •Ginger and orange peel — to taste (flavor)
- •Sugar, blanched almonds, raisins — to taste (sweetness and garnish)
Glögg (Spiced Mulled Wine for Advent)
A hot, sweet drink deeply spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves, garnished with almonds and raisins. The very scent of a Swedish winter.
Why this dish? Glögg warms the Swedish Decembers of Bergman's youth in Stockholm, before Hollywood took her away from the North. A ritual Advent drink, it recalls the actress's attachment to the holidays and flavors of her native country.
December in Stockholm: night falls at three o'clock, and the cold bites your cheeks. So we'd warm the glögg — gently, never boil, or the spices turn bitter. Cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, a bit of ginger, and at the bottom of the glass, almonds and raisins you'd fish out with a little spoon. We drank it among friends, hands cupped around the hot glass. Believe me, no Beverly Hills palace ever gave me that warmth.
Ingredients (period version)
- Red wine — one bottle (base (non-alcoholic: grape juice))
- Cinnamon sticks — a few (spice)
- Cardamom pods — about ten, crushed (Nordic spice)
- Cloves — a few (spice)
- Ginger and orange peel — to taste (flavor)
- Sugar, blanched almonds, raisins — to taste (sweetness and garnish)
Ingredients
- Red grape juice (or red wine for adults) — 1 liter (base — family-friendly non-alcoholic version)
- Cinnamon sticks — 2 (spice)
- Crushed cardamom pods — 8 (signature Nordic spice)
- Cloves — 5 (spice)
- Fresh ginger, sliced — 3 slices (warmth)
- Orange peel — 1 strip (flavor)
- Sugar or honey — 2–3 tbsp (sweetness)
- Blanched almonds + raisins — a handful of each (garnish in the glass)
Method
- Pour the grape juice (or wine) into a saucepan with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, and orange peel.
- Heat gently without ever boiling, covered, for 20–30 minutes to infuse the spices.
- Sweeten to taste, check and adjust spices.
- Strain. Place a few almonds and raisins in each cup, then pour the hot glögg over them.
- Serve piping hot, with a small spoon to retrieve the almonds and raisins.
How it was made : Inherited from medieval spiced wines, glögg became established as an Advent drink in Sweden in the 19th century. The golden rule, passed down through generations: never let it boil, lest the spices release bitterness and ruin the brew. Almonds and raisins at the bottom of the glass are an unvarying tradition.
The contemporary twist : A chilled, sparkling summer version, topped with soda water over ice, turns glögg into a refreshing spiced syrup for off-season enjoyment.
Ingrid Bergman · Charactorium
