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25 Days of Dishes: Glühwein (Mulled Wine)

Freeform has the 25 days of Christmas to celebrate the season.  And what goes better with a movie than food? A Beverage?  Ridder's 25 days of Dishes is here to the rescue!

Maybe your looking for new inspiration.  Every day in December we will feature a different idea for you. These will be a mix of baked goods, sides, main dishes and cocktails.  Who doesn't need a good festive beverage to get you through the season.  

Think of this as your advent calendar of holiday ideas.

The season in general is full of iconic dishes and deserts that we only enjoy during this magical time of the year.  There are many dishes that bring back memories from childhood.  This collection of dishes are a collection of personal recipes along with ideas taken from others worthy of a share.  Enjoy, have a happy holiday season and Merry Christmas.

Well, we're 4 days in and given it's the holiday's I think it's time for a cocktail!  

With the Christkindlmarket downtown outside the Fiserv Forum everyone is talking about the fun and festive boot shaped mugs filled with this delicious wine.  To be specific, Glühwein.  This warm, winter German version of sangria that tastes like the holidays, and will get you merry.

As mentioned before the holidays and Christmas in particular may be my favorite time of the year.  Perhaps it's all the fond memories I have from my childhood and the old German traditions I grew up with.  One of them I remember was the smell of Glühwein.  Perhaps you've heard it called "mulled wine"... it's that great smelling sweet yet spicy hot wine that's served to guests during the holidays. I introduced my wife to it a few years back and it's become a tradition and staple in our home during the holidays and so I thought I'd share the recipe with you to help continue the great tradition.

Ingredients:

1 bottle cheap red wine (Cabernet, Merlot and Zinfandel work great)

1 cup Brandy (could sub Bourbon if you're not worried about being traditional)

1/2 cup sugar

3-4 cinnamon sticks (plus more for serving)

12-15 cloves

1 tsp ground nutmeg (fresh ground off the nut is best)

2 oranges (one just for juicing)

Instructions:

1.   Cut orange into slices and then half them.  stick 3 cloves into each orange slice.2.   Mix the wine, brandy and sugar in a pot over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves (do not bring to boil!)3.   Add the cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and 1/2 the orange with cloves in it plus the juice of 1/2 an orange and stir.4.   Cover and simmer on low heat for 30-40 mins. (again DO NOT bring to boil!)

TIP: If you're having guests all day and want to make it ahead and keep it warm after you've added all the ingredients just put it in a crock pot.  It will slowly infuse, stay warm and make your house smell amazing!

To Serve:

Place an orange slice on the rim of a glass and a cinnamon stick in side... Ladle the hot elixir into glass and enjoy!


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