The big T-Day dinner left us full, very full of turkey, stuffing and (non-canned) cranberry sauce. After more than two weeks off of writing and a busy day job schedule, we’ve got some catching up to do!

Germany, of any country, has an incredible Christmas culture. Reflecting on the Christmas I spent with Johannes there, whole town centers convert to, what looks like from afar, a mini mountain town of cabins. These Christmas Markets, set up practically overnight. Each participating vendor brings and assembles their cabin to fill it with and sell not mass-produced trinkets, but specialty crafted goods from house-warming decorations to home-baked treats to a special, old-secret-recipe spiced drink: Glühwein.

One sip of Glühwein, or hot spiced wine, and anyone’s Christmas feeling is enhanced 150%. That feeling may or may not be a combination of the smells of cinnamon spices in the wine, but probably more so the warm feeling of the hot wine and schnapps running down into your tummy filling and warming you from the inside. It can be made from red or white wine, and patrons have the option to add schnapps (spelled Schnaps in German) of any flavor to their hot spiced wine. Our recommendation – Weinbergs Pfirsiche, a peach growing on trees found in vineyards.

Glühwein can be made from both red and white wine, but today we’re sharing the Mosel style, made with Riesling.

Without further ado, here’s a Glühwein recipe for a crowd to warm you and your guests from the inside out. Give yourself about 2 hours to allow all the ingredients to mingle.

Ingredients:

3 bottles Riesling
1 cups sugar (can be adjusted to taste)

3 Cinnamon sticks
6 Cloves
5 Allspice seeds
2 Cardamom seeds

2 Oranges, sliced in rounds
1 Lemon, sliced in rounds

Directions:

Heat the Riesling on the stove. When it’s warm, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the spices – cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice and cardamom, as well as the lemon and orange, saving a few rounds for garnish. Let the ingredients mingle on low to medium heat (but never boil) for about 2 hours. Serve warm. Enjoyed best at your town’s Christmas events, in front of the tree or next to the fireplace with friends and family.
Prost!