For a second straight Christmas, my taste buds savored some glögg, thanks to my Swedish brother-in-law (my sister's husband). Glögg (pronounced glug), a Nordic form of mulled wine, warms you during the coldest months of winter and is traditionally served on julafton (Christmas eve) in Sweden.
Europeans began drinking hot spiced wine during the middle ages, when wine easily went bad and heat and spices made it drinkable again. Stockholm's Vin & Sprithistoriska Museet (Wine & Spirits Museum) says that mulled wine was introduced to Swedes after Sweden's royal Vasa family developed a strong taste for a drink made from German mulled wine. In 1609, this favorite winter beverage was named "glödgad vin" (glowing hot wine) and later shortened to "glögg."
Want to surprise your friends or family with some glögg? Check out this recipe (and if you're not in Sweden, you'll find glögg concentrate at Ikea.)
© 2008 Lisa Sculati
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