I was looking for drink recipes beyond martinis, tequila and rum based cocktails and thought this drink from one of my favorite cookbooks of the past year, The Scandinavian Kitchen (Kyle Books, U.S edition, May 2011) fit the spot even though Christmas is behind us.
Maybe you can try it for New Year 2012.
Traditional Glogg
The traditional glogg is made from red wine and a reduction of spices boiled in water to a concentrate, sweetened and spiked with more schnapps and often port wine. The mixture is heated but must not boil, and is served in tall glasses with raisins soaked in schnapps and blanched almonds. It can be lovely, even if you tend to have too much of it during Christmas.
The spice mix must be made from whole spices; they have more flavour and will yield clear, pretty syrup which will keep for a long time in the fridge, if not used at once. The alternative method is to steep all the spices and zest in rum or schnapps for a fortnight, then add directly to the warm wine. Both methods are fine. You can add raisins and almonds to either version. If using raisins, plump them up in extra rum or schnapps for a day, then add at the last minute with the almonds.
Serves 10
2 bottles red wine .
1 and 3/4 cups unflavored schnapps (optional)
1 and 3/4 cups port
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup blanched almonds
For the spice mix:
1 tbsp. cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon whole allspice
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
1 blade of mace
Grades zest of 1 orange
Either, steep the spices and peel in the schnapps for a couple of weeks. Sieve. Heat the wine and port and sweeten to taste, adding the schnapps at the last minute. Or, boil the spices with 4 cups of water for an hour, or until reduced to 2 cups. Sieve, sweeten the flavored water to a syrup, and add to the heated wine and port. Put raisins and almonds in the glasses, if you wish, pour on the glogg and serve.
(* Recipe from The Scandinavian Kitchen by Camilla Plum– U.S publication, May 2011 by Kyle Books- all rights reserved)