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.
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