Stuffed

Oh, it's been a long while since I've posted.  Life and a trip to London (more on that later) have gotten in the way.  But with the leaves (they're still on the trees!) getting all golden and red, I'm finally ready to turn my head towards Thanksgiving and the holiday season.

With all the hosting we do, I was finding myself getting a little bored with the whole gargantuan meal of fowl and mushy side dishes.  Don't get me wrong.  Thanksgiving is, by far, one of my favorite holidays.  It's not religious - no Old or New Testament significance.  Instead, it's all about getting together with friends, family and digging togetherness.  And feeling really thankful for it.  Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.

It's the meal with which I am so very, very bored.  I've got the cooking technique nailed, for a moist, flavorful bird.  I feel confident with gravy, jazzed-up mash, and some colorful veg - like brussels sprouts, yams, and any other colorful creation that peaks my fancy.  And the stuffing....yup.  Got the stuffing.  The tried and true stuffing.  Which deserves to be shared with you lovelies.

With your next Thanksgiving feast, please consider this savory-sweet, texturally diverse recipe that, were it not for the Tawny Port, might be another gloppy brown mound of wet bread.  With dried cherries, apples, sausage, and hazelnuts, it is a solid score on the table.  And leftovers.

The Best Turkey Stuffing Ever
New Basics Cookbook

1 large loaf of bread, cut into 1" squares and dried on a cookie sheet for 10-12 hrs.
3 c. celery
2. c. chopped onions
2 tart apples, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, browned
2 T. vegetable oil
1 c. toasted and chopped hazelnuts
1 c. dried cherries
1 c. Tawny Port
1 c. chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. sage leaves
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Place the bread cubes in a large bowl.

Sauté sausage until brown.  Remove and drain in a separate bowl.  Add celery and onions to the same pan.  Cook until translucent.  Add cooked sausage, onions, and celery and all cooking juice to the bread.

Add to the bowl: apples, hazelnuts, cherries, salt, thyme, sage, and pepper.  Toss.


Add Tawny Port and chicken broth to the bowl and toss.  I try not to over toss, as I prefer non-mushy stuffing but feel free to crunch and smush away with your hands to create the preferred consistency.

Roast in a covered dish at 325˚ for approx. 40-45 mins.  Unbutton your pants and tuck in.

Wild about Wild Boar

I had a reason to visit (yet another) South End Formaggio - or, really to get my monthly fix.  I wanted to spice up some hors d'oeuvres-y snacks I was putting together this past Friday night.

We found this amazing Wild Boar dried sausage (soppressata di cinghiale)  in Brussels a couple of summers ago. At one of those awesome outdoor markets.  Corsican wild boar.  So, you can imagine these feral pigs are eating all sorts of good Corsican nuts and berries and maybe a small Corsican animal or two.  That salami was sweet, robust, and a tad gamey.  And a perfect accompaniment to what was slowly becoming a predictable cheese plate.

And back to South End Formaggio - purveyors of just about everything delicious, crammed in a space no bigger than 30' x 20' (but still easy to lose yourself in thought).  I picked up a half a pound of their wild boar sopressata.  Theirs comes from Salumeria Biellese.  And these pigs are mostly raised in Texas, on a ranch, where they probably scamper about, play tag, or maybe set up a variety of houses to see which might get blown down - while gobbling up all kinds of yummy nuts, berries, and happy little animals.

Looking for something to add to your charcuterie - a party cure-all? something that tastes like maybe a little Mediterranean, a little rustic, and a little wild?  Grab a stick of wild boar dried sausage.  And serve immediately.

The Cheesemonger's Kitchen

Fresh Goat Cheese "Pears" with Pistachio Dust

Burrata with Asparagus, Pine Nuts, and Golden Raisins

Roasted Butternut Squash with Fresh Tuscan Pecorino and Devil's Honey

Ricotta Fritters with Chocolate

Just in time for dinner party season.  Clever, creative, cheese-y ideas for both the savory and the sweet.......(having a very difficult time not drooling all over my keyboard).....Can you dig those pears!?  Roasted butternut discs with pecorino?  Buratta with asparagus!

I can't get over the simplistic beauty here, nor the crazy-tastiness.  Plus, I know texturally cheese can get a little tiresome, but Chester Hastings, Capt. Cheesemonger and Chef extraordinaire, has nailed nearly every suggestion in his new cookbook by pairing his arsenal of dairy with something either fresh, al dente, or kick-in-the-pants spice.

all images | by Joseph de Leo from The Cheesemonger's Kitchen

You can find this cookbook, as well as other glorious foodie books, and wonderful entertaining accoutrement at pod.  Right in Brookline Village.  

Outstanding in the Field

A traveling restaurant.  On tour.  With events throughout North America and Europe. With one ginormous table.  One incredibly setting -  a field,  mountains, seaside, or river.  All about celebrating community through food - locally cultivated, locally created food. 

Goodness.

Our mission is to re-connect diners to the land and the origins of their food,
and to honor the local farmers and food artisans who cultivate it.
Join us in the field for an amazing dining experience. - outstanding in the field

Follow the big white bus *here*.

From My Head

Sometimes it clicks and sometimes it doesn't.  But this time, it clicked.

We were invited to a porch party this evening and I wanted to bring something that was summer-y but hearty, especially because we were bringing a pitcher of caipirinhas.  And to ward off that cheap rum headache that follows a night of cheap rum cocktails, I figured an easy appetizer of protein might be the perfect prescription.

I've also had ricotta in my head for some time.  Literally.  Like, wow, I feel so dumb lately.  But I also wanted to make some ricotta - 'cuz I haven't since the last time I whipped it up.  Ricotta....and......I wanted savory but not goopy.  I wanted something that would look pretty (I'm not even sure why the hell I think about something like this so much....really - like, who cares?  It's a friggin' gathering on a porch, fergodsakes).  And I wanted something clever and delicious.

my image 

So, how about a little ficelle crostini.  And how about some skirt steak.  And how about some of those delicate, green pea shoots.  And finally, how about some homemade ricotta that's punched up with some kicky horseradish.

my image

And it's assembled to create a one bite taste sensation.  Very pleased with how this clicked.  All out of my own head.  That's still filled with ricotta.  But not for long.

Stage Soup!

Allow me to take a minute to plug an awesome program in Brookline Village:

At Stage Soup we will play all of the fun and crazy theater games that we don’t always have a lot of time for at play rehearsals.

Bing Bang Boom, Viking/Bunny, “Darling,
I Love You,” Hitchhiker, Zippers, and
Fairy-Tale Movies are just a few of the games we will play. 

They’re fun and also help you develop skills like confidence, quick-thinking, and creativity.

Whether you find yourself lying on the ground imitating a crocodile head, brushing your teeth while jumping up and down, or acting out a Kung Fu version of The Wizard of Oz, you’ll definitely laugh, make new friends, and find out that no two days are ever the same.

Attend the following FREE SESSIONS to get your first taste of the Soup…

Thursday March 31:
3:00-4:20 (ages 7-11) or
4:30-5:50 (teen)

LOCATION: Inner Space Annex
                     17 Station Street
                     Brookline, MA 02445
                     (across from Brookline Village T)

After that, all classes will be $15 each and you can either register in advance or just drop-in when you want. (pending space availability.)

Contact Ryan@stagesoup.com, or call 617-735-5664 today if you would like more details on either SPRING or SUMMER programs.

Fondue Fribourgeoise

image | saveurs du monde

Ooey-gooey.  Molten. Cheese lava.   If you're a dairy hound - like me, nothing beats cheese fondue in the winter.  It's not something I can have often - just once in a great while and usually following some marathon cross-country ski or hike or swim.  And usually with copious amounts of wine, really good friends, and maybe sore muscles.

So, I did my research.  Scoured old cookbooks.  Rummaged through the webs.  Called a Swiss friend (that happens to be from Fribourg), and found, what I believe to be, the most delicious and authentic recipe.  Actually it comes straight from food52 - so, full cred goes to rabino.

And then I asked my generous neighbor if she would generously loan her generous fondue pot our way.  She's really generous (and known to leave crazy-awesome home-baked goods at our door step).

image | food just now

 Comes from the Canton de Fribourg, in Switzerland, home of the Gruyere and Vacherin Cheeses. Most people have tried to innovate, modify, change or alter this simple and traditional fondue... They have all failed. In failing to stick to the basics... they tried to kill the legendary Swiss dish!! But this recipe will ensure it survives.

Fondue means melted... they meant it to be molten cheese only. No "deal breakers" like tomato, champignons, truffles or tourist-like ingredients. 

Traditional Fondue Fribourgeois - Legendary and Original

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 14 ounces cubed/shredded Gruyere cheese (preferably aged)
• 14 ounces cubed/shredded Vacherin cheese
• 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
• 3 teaspoons Maizena or corn starch
• 1 pinch Grated/powder nutmeg
• 1 shot Kirsch (cherry brandy)
• 2 pinches Ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced, smashed or ground garlic
• 400 milliliters Dry white wine (Fendant du Valais, Languedoc, Rhone,etc...)

Preparation:

1. Rub the garlic onto the inside of the pan (ceramic pan), then remove the pieces, just leaving the "taste" of it.
2. Warm up the wine in low fire
3. Start by SLOWLY adding the cheese.... and stir vigorously, but slowly, IN ONE DIRECTION only. The cheese will start to melt.
4. As the (molten) cheese starts to become uniform in consistency... add the nutmeg, and the pepper, and the lemon juice.
5. Dilute the maizena in the kirsch (IMPORTANT!!). Add the shot of Kirsch with the maizena to the fondue, to give it viscosity. This is an important step. The secret is: if the maizena is not diluted in the Kirsch (or in the wine), as it hits the cheese, it will coagulate and create little "balls" in the cheese. Then you might as well try to cook something else!
6. You are done. If the fondue is too liquid, add more maizena. If too thick add more wine.
7. Cut the bread in pieces (french baguette or whole wheat bread, or both) and enjoy it! Remember not to drink water with the fondue. Only wine or hot tea. Fondue experts say that water will make the cheese lump up into a ball in the stomach... Recent critics have discovered that this is a myth, but I have chosen to ignore them and enjoy my wine with the Fondue. 

Buono Biscotti

Brick-like biscotti.  If they're really good, they could transport you to some Italian cafe on the Piazza San Marco.  And who doesn't love a good crunch?  Maybe somebody with no teeth...maybe someone that just had their braces tightened...?

The very aged and teen mouth aside, I believe authentic biscotti to be one of the best crunchy cookies around.  Not too sweet.  Solid.  Dippable.  And crumbs galore.

And as I gear up for this holiday season's cook-a-thon that I always seem to find myself in (mostly, because the kitchen's the warmest room in our apartment) I wanted to give biscotti a try.

I had two recipes, one from Cook's Illustrated - of the spiced variety and one from epicurious - a chocolately-nutty variety.  Both were easy.  Both produced excellent cookies, but both were very different.  The Spiced Biscotti were smaller, not very sweet, amazingly crunchy, with a nice kicky flavor to it -perfect with a cup of warm tea or sweet latte. And much more like the cookies one would find in Italy.

Spiced Biscotti
(The New Best Recipe Cook Book | Cook's Illustrated)

    •    2 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
    •    1 teaspoon baking powder
    •    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    •    1/4 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
    •    1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
    •    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    •    1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
    •    1/4 teaspoon salt
    •    2 cups sugar
    •    3 large eggs
    •    1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350º and place rack in the middle position.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.

Whisk the sugar, eggs, and yolks in a large bowl to a light lemon color; stir in the vanilla extract. Sprinkle in the dry ingredients over the egg mixture, then fold in until the dough is just combined.

Halve the dough and turn each portion on the prepared baking sheet. Stretch to 13x2 inch sized loaf. Bake until loaves are golden and just beginning to crack on top, 35 mins. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place it on a wire rack.

 ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

The Chocolate-Pecan Biscotti were much sweeter, much more like a dessert cookie.  Not quite the crunchy-madness as the previous recipe, but still a crumbly mouthful.  These could stand on their own.

Chocolate-Pecan Biscotti
(adapted from Bon Appétit | November 1999)

    •    1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted, chopped
    •    3 cups all purpose flour
    •    2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    •    1 teaspoon baking soda
    •    1 teaspoon baking powder
    •    1/2 teaspoon salt
    •    1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
    •    2 cups sugar
    •    3 large eggs
    •    1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    •    1/2 teaspoon Frangelico liquor
  
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Grind 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts in processor. Set aside. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Beat butter and sugar in another large bowl to blend. Add eggs and vanilla and almond extracts and beat until well blended. Beat in flour mixture. Mix in 1 cup whole toasted hazelnuts, chocolate chips and 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts.

Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece on baking sheet into 2 1/2-inch-wide by 14-inch-long log. Place logs on prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 1/2 inches apart (logs will spread during baking). Bake until logs feel firm when tops are gently pressed, about 35 minutes. Cool logs on baking sheet 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

Using long wide spatula, transfer baked logs to cutting board. Using serrated knife, cut warm logs crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, on 2 baking sheets. Bake biscotti until firm, about 15 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool completely. (Chocolate-Hazelnut Biscotti can be prepared ahead. Store in airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap in foil and freeze in resealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.)

And the best thing about these easy cookies is that they keep for decades weeks.

Not Cheesecake, Cheese Cake

Oh. my. word.  

I just discovered these on a cup of jo.

A wedding cake.  

Made entirely of cheese.

Probably wouldn't smell so great, if washed-rind-stinky-gooey-creamy-madness isn't your thing.

But god, how delicious that cake would be.

The smarties at The Cheese Shed can take credit for this idea.  

They're located in Southwest England and don't ship to the states-yet.  

But then again, I can't imagine it will be too long before our own smarties here 

will get ahead on this trend (please).

I'll Take the Box of Rosé

Perfect picnic wine you ask?  Something that's easy to sneak into that public outdoor concert?  Would rather avoid the creepy brown-bagged wino gig?  I couldn't recommend Y+B Wines and their very stylized TetraPak libations more heartily.  This Spanish Rosé pictured here stands up to any goopy cheese, Triscuit, homemade salsa, or those  crispy particles of potato glass   Cape Cod chips that seem to make it into every picnic basket during the summer.  Plus, these guys are 1 full liter, 33% more than the standard 750ml.

All Y+B Wines are made from 100% handpicked organic grapes.  The packaging is not a gimmick.  It's a serious effort to minimize the already maximized carbon footprint created by the wine biz. This is a sustainable, organic, great tasting wine.  And they run about $10 at The Urban Grape.

Dad's favorite cocktail

We're heading to Little Rhody for the weekend with weather that's purported to be in the 90s. And after the beach on Father's Day, we'll have this:


A gin and tonic with Angostura ice cubes and cucumber slices.

The how-to from the nytimes.

A Rosé is (not) a Rosé

With apologies to Gertrude Stein and a heavy nod to the New York Times article on rosé wine, I wanted to share this bit on what is often a very misunderstood wine.

Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

I've posted in the past one of my favorite rosés, Tavel, a wonderful wine hailing from the southern Rhône wine region in France.

I invite you to click on over to this NY Times article and bone up on some this colorful libation. Because, frankly, I can't imagine a summer evening without a glass. As journalist Eric Asimov writes,


You really don’t need to see the seaside shimmering in the heat to enjoy a bottle, or smell the lavender, garlic, anise and saffron. It’s all there in the glass, along with the blues, pinks and yellows of a pastel sky, and the sounds of the motor scooters chugging over the cobblestones. Those are my images, at least. Good rosés call forth from each of us their own.

It's all so abundant

I would be hard pressed to find any day more perfect for a glass of Rosé wine. Abundant sunshine with a little chill in the evening air. Grab your glass and get outside.

Happy weekend, sweets!

Getting in the muddle

It's only Tuesday...and I'm all ready thinking of the weekend cocktail.

I think we've tested every vodka-pomegranate-gin-lime-rickey on the planet. We've worked the tequila. We've squeezed countless citrus. Made vast amounts of simple syrup.

But I think this weekend is all about the muddle. And four ingredients:

(image from MAP magazine)
The Caipirinha

• ice
• lime
• sugar
• cachaça (a cheap Brazilian rum-like concoction that is surprisingly easy to find)
  

Sweet, tart and strong, the caipirinha is mixed with the Brazilian spirit cachaça. Cachaça is similar to rum but made from sugarcane rather than molasses. "It's more sophisticated than rum because it's more pure," says Brazilian artist Vik Muniz, patriotically. Directions

Here's a nifty little video that shows you exactly how to make the perfectly muddled and executed Caipirinha!

Caipirinha with tender loving care! from nando cuca on Vimeo.

Nando Cuca teaches you how to prepare that king of the Brazilian cocktails, the Caipirinha, with a little 'tender loving care'.

Cuca Brazuca is produced by UK web agency Dancing Bee ltd - come back every week to watch marketeer-turned-chef Nando Cuca creating another delicious classic of the Brazilian Cuisine. Send your comments and suggestions to info@cucabrazuca.com or visit our site at www.cucabrazuca.com.

Liquid Lemony Goodness

Lemons are in my head these days. With Spring and Easter and Passover....I feel like surrounding myself with lemons.

Tarragon Lemonade

(from Food&Wine)

Ingredients
10 cups water
2 1/4 cups sugar
17 tarragon sprigs
6 cups fresh lemon juice, strained (from about 40 lemons), plus 12 thin lemon slices for garnish
Salt
Ice

Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups of water with the sugar and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer over moderately high heat until reduced to 3 1/4 cups, about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 5 of the tarragon sprigs. Let stand, stirring often, until cooled to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Discard the tarragon sprigs.

In a large glass pitcher, combine the remaining 6 cups of water with the tarragon syrup and fresh lemon juice. Add a pinch of salt, stirring until it dissolves. Serve the tarragon lemonade over ice, garnished with the lemon slices and the remaining 12 tarragon sprigs.

~OR~


Lavender Lemonade

Ingredients
3-1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar

5 fresh lavender flower heads, or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender

2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained

4 springs fresh lavender, for garnish

Directions
Combine 1 cup of water with the sugar in a medium saucepan over a hot flame and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the remaining 2-1/2 cups water and the fresh or dried lavender and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. (If using dried lavender, put it in a tea ball.) Remove from the heat and let the mixture steep for 20 minutes, or until it has a light lavender taste. 

Strain the mixture into a pitcher or jar, and stir in the lemon juice. Refrigerate until it is cold.

To serve, pour the lemonade over a glass of ice and garnish with a sprig of fresh lavender.

I see no reason why you couldn't spike either recipe with some favorite spirit, maybe Vodka, St-Germaine, or even a Rye or a Bourbon for the adult version.

Eddie Izzard plays Boston

Mr. Izzard will be appearing tonight, January 12, at TD Banknorth.

(and I'm going)





"...a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic...."

Allow me to introduce my friend, Hendrick.....

And his ever classic Gin and Tonic.

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

I've recently decided that the only suitable way to make a most delicious (if not somewhat magical) G & T is with Hendrick's Gin. "Hendrick’s is an iconoclastically produced small batch gin distilled in Ayrshire, Scotland."

Contained in a nice squatty bottle, this gin is a fairly recent addition to the typical spirits found on the shelves in your local liquor store. Although one might beg to differ - studying the clever label - you would have the impression that this Gin is centuries old. It's not. He's a modern dude, made by some wickedly clever Scots with a very rare distiller, one of four in the world.

And rather than a tall, slim bottle like Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire, this short, rotund bottle is a little reminiscent of something you'd see in some old apothecary collection. And apparently, the Scottish creators of Hendrick's wanted to maintain a certain protectiveness and mystique to their handcrafted, small-batch gin. In doing so, they decided that an apothecary bottle would do nicely, which holds a liquid that pours like oil and tastes like a crisp cucumber.

"Hendrick's has no shortage of eccentricities. It's the gin from Scotland. It's the gin in the cute green cardboard tube. It's the gin made with cucumbers. Yeah, pretty weird. But when you drink it, you know Hendrick's is more than its tag-line, "a most peculiar gin," suggests. It was obviously crafted with care by distillers who understood why cucumber (and rose petals, too) would blend so nicely with juniper, coriander and lemon zest. Like all true eccentrics, it makes a strong impression in this case, one well worth remembering ($30)......" (from Food&Wine)

....and the only proper way to toast to the waning hours of the hot, beachy days of summer.

Classic Gin and Tonic
3 ounces Hendrick's
Tonic
Wedge of lime

Fill a chilled old-fashioned glass halfway with ice cubes, and pour in the gin. Gently rub the lime wedge around the rim of the glass, squeeze in a few drops of juice, and drop the lime into the glass. Top with tonic, and gently stir once or twice.

Une serviette s'il vous plait?

Need a little sum'n-sum'n for the hosts of that Friday night soiree'? Used all of those uber-cool cheapo IKEA paper napkins at the last cocktail party? Want to add just a little shazam to your already clever menu of homemade apps and drinks?

Get the party started with this set of twelve fabric cocktail napkins.
The perfect gift for yourself or your favorite hostess.

Each napkin is a different pattern - so guests can keep track of their drink. These also do double duty as coasters - rest a drink on them or use them to wipe fingers after snacking.

Double sided coasters in twelve complementary patterns.
They are pre-washed and pressed, so no shrinking after the first use.
My friend Marie gave a set of these to me and I use them all the time.

Found at Etsy and Pod. From Cornwagonthunder.

Cocktail Conundrum

If you had to pick a house drink for a holiday party and you wanted to make it a vodka-based drink, what would your options be?

There's the prosaic and now nearly dated Cosmopolitan. There's all sorts of cranberry-infused vodka this'n thats. And there's a whole buncha pomegranate cocktails. But what if you wanted to do something simple but unique? Something festive and tasty? And perhaps something that you might have more than one of, but switching to wine with dinner wouldn't kill the mood....? It's truly a cocktail conundrum.

However, here are some options. Please consider the following:

French Martini
1.5 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Chambord
2 oz Pineapple juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge or a leaf from the pineapple for a sleek modern look.

PAMA Pine
4 oz Van Gogh Pineapple Vodka
4 oz PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur
Splash of lime juice

Combine, shake and serve

Belvedere Sparkle
1 oz Belvedere Vodka
2 oz cranberry juice with ice
1 oz Moet & Chandon Champagne

Shake vodka and cranberry juice with ice. Strain into chilled martini glass and top with champagne. Garnish with raspberries.

The Flirtini
1 1/2 oz Grey Goose L'Orange
1 oz Pineapple Juice
Once poured, finish with Champagne and

Served in a Martini Glass

Kobe Punch
1 oz Lemon Infused Ciroc Vodka
1 oz Mango Rum
2 oz Pineapple Juice
2 oz Cranberry Juice

Mix ingredients together and serve in a punch bowl or tumbler over ice, or individual glass tumbler. Garnish with a pineapple and cherry.

Your thoughts? (and if you're thinking: "you're sh*ttin' me, right? if this is the biggest concern on your plate, well lucky you!" that's okay, too.)

Glögg

Glögg.

glug?

No. Glögg. G l ö g g.

G l u h g? Sounds like glug. Why are you harassing me with this troll-like talk?

I'm not a troll. I'm saying "Glögg". You know, Glögg. Mulled wine. Swedish mulled wine. For the Holidays. We should have it again. With the raisins and almonds. And the vodka. And wine.

You sound very Shrekish to me when you say glug.

It's not glug. It's Glögg. And it's good. And I'm not Shrekish. At least not now.

Glögg

(House & Garden Drink Guide | November 1973)

There are a number of variations of this traditional Scandinavian Yuletide drink. Dry red wine, muscatel and sweet vermouth, with aquavit in place of the brandy, may be used. In another version, 2 bottles of dry red wine, preferably Bordeaux, are used with the quantity of aquavit increased to a whole bottle, which is poured over the flaming sugar.

Yield: Makes about 10 servings

Ingredients:

1 bottle tawny port
1 bottle Madeira
1 bottle medium dry sherry
1/2 bottle dry red wine
15 cloves
15 cardamom seeds
1 stick cinnamon
1/2 pound lump sugar
1/2 cup brandy
1 cup raisins
1 cup blanched almonds

Combine all ingredients except the sugar, brandy, raisins and nuts in a heavy saucepan and heat slowly. When the wine mixture is hot, place a rack on top of the saucepan so that it covers half of it. Arrange the sugar cubes on the rack, warm the brandy, pour it over the sugar and set it aflame. Ladle the wine mixture over the flaming sugar until sugar is dissolved. Serve in 8-ounce mugs, garnished with the almonds and raisins.

(we prefer the Bordeaux version with vodka. And we skip the flaming sugar-we just use simple syrup - why bother any fire with the shaking hands and all?)