In December, Switzerland comes alive with Christmas markets in every city and town. There’s nothing more festive than strolling through a Christmas market, shopping for presents for your loved ones, taking in the spirit of Christmas and sipping on a hot beverage to keep your hands warm. My favourite Christmas market drink is Glühwein and my advent market visit is never complete without a glug of this spicy, zesty warm wine.

To celebrate a wintery Swiss Christmas I’m sharing with you a recipe to warm you to your bones on a cold day.

The secret to mulling a good Glühwein is the right mixture of red wine, cinnamon sticks, sugar, oranges and cloves. Find the basic recipe below and you could tweak it to your tastebuds.

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle red wine
  • 1/2 lemon, cut into slices
  • 1/2 orange, cut into slices
  • 1/8 cup of fresh lemon juice (from the other half of unsliced lemon)
  • 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice (from the other half of unsliced orange)
  • 4 Tbsp. sugar
  • 8 dried cardamom pods
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 6 whole cloves

 

Method

Throw all ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil for about 1 minute. Then reduce heat to low and allow wine to simmer for roughly 10-15 minutes. Serve with an  orange slice and enjoy.

Cheers and Merry Christmas!

Disclaimer: Opinions and methods expressed are solely of the writer. Namaste Switzerland does not undertake any obligation or liability which may arise from the content.