In the weeks of Advent and Christmas In much of Europe the famous Christmas markets take place, in which sweets and typical dishes coexist with the sale of decorations as well as the sale of drinks, usually hot to overcome the low temperatures, which go beyond chocolate, the most popular and traditional being the so-called ‘Glühwein wine” in German.
He ‘Glühwein wine“It is a mulled wine with spices, which we would translate as “burning wine”, and which can be tasted indifferently with a base of red or white wine, which is more common in the regions of North Sea and of Balticalthough both have their usual fruity aroma which endears them to many.
How to prepare mulled wine or “Glühwein”
He ‘Glühwein wine“, although it is generally consumed at Christmas markets or in bars, it is also a drink whose recipe is clear and can be prepared at home, hence the importance of selecting a consistent wine, whether red or white. When it has a white base, the nickname it receives from the Germans is “hot seal” (“heißer Seehund”).
Thus, the preparation of mulled wine begins with sweetening, which can be with sugar or honey, to which are then added a few slices of lemon or orange, 4 cloves and 1 stick of cinnamon, all heated over low and moderate heat which should not be allowed to boil because the alcohol then evaporates and then left to stand for 15 minutes.
To refine the taste, you can add pieces of sour apple to the recipe, just as they recommend replacing cloves with raisins if using a white wine base. Before serving, after resting, remove the spices with which it was cooked to enjoy it in liquid form.
The origin of “Glühwein”: from the Romans to Germany or Sweden
The history of mulled wine dates back more than six centuries, although some even trace its origins to the Roman Empire, where cold and spiced wine was already drunk, particularly appreciated by the wealthy upper class, as saffron, dates or honey were very expensive products for society in general, a mention found in the ancient cookbook of Apicius.
In the Middle Ages, people continued to drink cold spiced wine, in particular to mask the poor quality of the wine of the time, with a marked sour flavor, which was sweetened with honey, which also preserved it, and which was then made more pleasant to the palate by the addition of generous quantities of spices.
However, it was only in the 19th century that we find the origin of today’s mulled wine or “Glühwein”, more precisely in 1843, when the traditional recipe was developed by the Count von Wackerbarthbut whose recreation would currently render it practically inedible with a large quantity of spices.
Thus, Saxony was established as the German region of origin of this drink, also contested by the Swedes, ensuring that its Glogg This is an older variation, which became popular at the Swedish royal court, where the most plausible version is that it was introduced by the queen. Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburgof German origin. The current recipe for “Glühwein” comes from Rudolf Kunzmannwho, in a small cellar in Augsburg, produced red wine with sugar and spices and marketed it, thus being the first to produce it as mulled wine.
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