Winter Warmers
Here’s a special guest Happy Hour entry, and today’s subject is stuff to warm you up when you’re freezing your buns off. As always, drink carefully. People will tell you that heat will evaporate all of the booze, and technically it’s true, but there’s a reason why distilling is a slow process — it takes a lot of time to evaporate all of the alcohol unless you’re also boiling off all the water.
Here’s a video with recipes for German Gluhwein (spiced, sweetened hot red wine) and Kinderpunsch for nondrinkers (spiced, sweetened hot juice). It’s not as slick as a lot of Youtube cooking videos, but I love the motto: EFFICIENT COOKING WITHOUT HUMOR.
I also like the guy’s attitude which is actually pretty relaxed. Just use cheap wine for the Gluhwein, substitute spices if you don’t have exactly what the recipe calls for, and eyeball your measurements.
He uses a mix of apple and orange juice for the acohol-free version, but I’m sure something like cherry juice, purple grape juice or cranberry juice cocktail would work just fine. I like the look of the opening image, where you garnish everyone’s mug with an orange slice and cinnamon stick after straining out the spices, but that’s a judgment call of course.
So what do you think Deadsplinterwarmers? Does this kind of thing work for you, or do you go for other winter warmers, like spiced tea with honey or Irish coffee? Or maybe you just microwave lemons and squeeze the hot juice straight into your mouth. What warms you up?
baileys and coffee…..and it needs to be at least half half….in a big mug
I don’t care what Ellie don’t allow, I’m going to show off my organ this Christmas anyhow.
That candlestick with the two ornaments is awfully suggestive.
But is it a pump organ?
I’m making Gluhwein this weekend. I definitely need a drink right now. I spent two and a half hours doing groceries this morning. At least I have enough food (and cheese!) to last us until Wednesday.
I’ve been enjoying this festive deliciously dry but floral cider.
https://shop.finnriver.com/product/Autumn-Blush
2 1/2 hours? Hopefully not at just one store.
Three store in the same block. But long lines at each. I’m glad I found parking nearby.
That’s so funny, every 4th of July I stay right down the road from Finn River. My local watering hole while I am in the area is very close…
http://www.thekegandi.com/
I’m a little late but:
1. For Glühwein you actually should use cheap red wine, since when you spice it it becomes drinkable. That was kind of the point of it, I think.
2. I have spent 2 1/2 hours in the same supermarket back in the old days. I had so many questions. “It says that this cheese is from France but they don’t normally pasteurize cheese in France. Is this cheese special for the export market, or maybe, like the Nutella we get, not actually produced in Europe? Are you listening to me? This is a reasonable question!” The other customers loved me, as they stood around just wanting to get in and out, and me digressing into, “This is commonly from Grasse, but it says…”
There are worse ways to spend what little time we’re allowed on this earth. Although the other customers might have disagreed because, I don’t know, they had children to feed or guests coming over.
If you think I’m crazy now, which I am, you should have experienced me in my prime. But the parties were epic. Sort of like the bar scene in “The Shining,” I guess.
@matthewcrawley oh yes I was reading all the cheese info. If I’m going to splurge on cheese, it’s coming from the right places in Europe. But I consult my phone and not the grocery store clerks because I hate conflict and inconveniencing people. I feel too much guilt and anxiety as is.