Now that it's -5 F in Chicago with a windchill of -25 F I thought it was an appropriate time to share one of the secrets to surviving a Chicago winter: Glögg! If you live in the old Swedish neighborhood (Andersonville) like I do then you can sip Glögg at most local bars but with weather like this, why even leave your house? Here's my recipe...
The Stuff
- Cheap bottle of red wine
- Sugar, to taste
- Zest from a quarter of a lemon (can substitute orange zest or use both)
- 3-4 cloves
- Cinnamon stick
- Almonds
- Raisins
- Dried fruit (apricots, cantaloupe, etc) - optional
- Brandy
The Potion
- Put a teaball filled with zest and cloves into a pot; put the almonds, raisins, cinnamon stick, and dried fruit in the pot, add wine, and cook on low but don't let it boil. Cook for at least 20 min, stirring often, the longer the better.
- Add sugar to taste
- Add in a couple pours of Brandy just before serving