German Glühwein (Hot Mulled Wine) Recipe

Well, I've talked about it enough...guess it's about time for me to give you guys a taste what all the fuss is about over here! It's no surprise that glühwein is my most favorite holiday drink in the world. Before moving to Germany, I'd never heard, nor tried this yummy spiced drink. More commonly known as mulled wine in the states, glühwein starts making its appearance in Germany as the last leaves of autumn fall to the ground and the cold December winds start to blow. Glühwein stands are a staple among German Christmas Markets, as I'm sure you know from reading my blog or following my adventures on Instagram. But one thing many people don't know is that glühwein is insanely simple to make at home. Yes, ladies & gentlemen...you can enjoy this treat year round if you wish!

I remember the first time I sipped a mug of warm glühwein. D and I had only been living in Germany 4 months and we ventured up to Cologne for our first Christmas market ever. Before our market visit, our new friends had mentioned that we must try this hot mulled wine Germany is so famous for serving. Being the wine fanatic that I am, you didn't have to tell me twice! The first sips, I'll admit, weren't my favorite. The aroma of cloves and mulling spices can totally take you aback. But as you continue to wander the markets, the cold air nipping at your nose (as they say), that glühwein starts to warm your bones and somehow leaks into your heart and stays forever. Or at least that's how it happened for me. I've now spent 3 Christmas seasons here in Deutschland consuming god knows how many mugs of glühwein and it's safe to say I've only grown to love it more. So much more that I've perfected my own glühwein recipe so we can enjoy it at home and share it with our friends and family back in the states! 

Truth be told, there are many ways glühwein can be made. Red wine, white wine, rosé...anything goes as long as it's not too sweet. You'll add sugar to it later. In addition, any combination of mulling spices seems to be acceptable. I'm not a big fan of star anise, but it seems to be found in almost every glühwein recipe I've tried. My recipe, however, omits it altogether. It's one of those drinks you can play around with, swapping out spices, spice amounts, and juices as you like. You can even make it stronger with the addition of liquors (like cherry or johannisberry--also known as red currents), but make sure you've got a DD on your hands if you go that route. This stuff goes down like buttah, so it's easy to forget what number mug you're on! I have to say, the formula I've concocted below has evolved to be my favorite yet. Enjoy a piping hot mug with a side of lebkuchen (gingerbread) and it'll be like you're right here in Germany with me!

German Glühwein

--Serves 4--

Ingredients:

1 bottle red wine (dry to medium dry)

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

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a sauce pot 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 a small orange or lemon slice in a cute mug and ENJOY!!

Oh and one more thing...

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A Snowy Hike In Zermatt

On our last full day in snowy Zermatt, we spent the morning getting in some last minute skiing while the afternoon was devoted exploring Zermatt's plethora of hiking trails. We really didn't do any serious hiking (our legs were already shot from skiing), but we did want to wander up a few of the mountain trails to snap photos and have ourselves a little fun in the snow. D got in a few good hits with some icy snowballs and in return for almost taking my eye out (I swear he really didn't hit me, just a really hilarious optical illusion), he bought us all a round of winter-themed cocktails at a cozy bar in the middle of town. The cocktail pictured above is a Toblerone martini. Tasted JUST like the Toblerone chocolate bars Switzerland is so famous for. The Bailey's hot cocoa was amazing as well, but when is it not? :) If you find yourself wandering Zermatt in need of a warm (or chocolatey) libation, Bar 55 has got you covered. And the decor is ski lodge chic, worth a look and a drink!

If you haven't already figured this out, Zermatt was hands down one of my favorite winter trips we've taken while stationed here in Europe. After seeing it romanticized on The Bachelor a few seasons ago, it absolutely didn't disappoint. From the pine tree-lined streets, twinkle lights, and falling snow, all the way to the bubbly cheese fondue and cozy ski chalets, I'd highly recommend a short (or long) skication in this quaint little winter wonderland. I so wish D and I had time to go back!

Ski & Fondue: Swiss Style

I don't know which is better...eating REAL Swiss fondue or skiing the Swiss Alps? It seems like you can't have one without the other. Or at least you'd be silly to only try one but not the other. Each are out-of-this-world amazing and I count myself one lucky duck to have been able to experience both in Zermatt. 

As I mentioned in my last post, skiing the Swiss Alps during heavy snow and fog proved to be quite challenging. I'm not an avid skier by any stretch of the imagination, but I have skied the Austrian Alps and a handful of slopes around the USA. I'd say I'm right between beginner and intermediate. Beginnermediate, maybe? But the close to white-out conditions at the tippy top of the mountain sure almost made me wet my long johns. I might have said more than a few explicit words as I navigated down the slopes, barely being able to see 3 feet in front of me. When you're not sure where the trail begins and the mountain ends, it's kind of terrifying skiing down at a moderate speed. The good Lord must have known we were struggling on the slopes because there was a perfectly placed igloo bar right at the end of a trail that almost did us both in. We stopped in for a piping hot mug of glühwein and enjoyed relaxing inside the igloos before mustering up enough nerve to hit the trails again. Thankfully, throughout the day D and I both only fell a handful of times and managed to keep all bones and skis intact. 

The reward for our frightful (yet fun) ski adventure? CHEESE!! Gobs of hot, buttery cheese covering fresh brown bread and veggies. Thank the Lord for the Swiss and their affinity for melted Gruyére in cute ceramic pots. They know the way to this cheese lover's heart! Our fabulous hotel had a small restaurant just for its guests and they hosted a traditional fondue dinner for our 2nd night there. D and I LOVE the Melting Pot restaurant in the states, but I'm telling you, eating fondue while gazing at the Matterhorn as it's snowing outside just takes the fondue experience to a whole other level. Like who am I and how did I get here? PINCH ME WORTHY. Needless to say, we stuffed our faces like merry animals and retreated to the bar for a hot chocolate & Bailey's nightcap. Perfect ending to an adventurous day on the Swiss slopes. Also, you should know I bought myself a real Swiss fondue pot while in Zermatt. Cost me a pretty penny, but when in Switzerland, right? Fondue party at our house!

ZERMATT SKI INFO

We skied the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Gornergrat, & Riffelberg ski areas. Prices for lift tickets in these areas can be found here. List of local ski rental offices can be found here. If you are military and live near a base with an MWR or Outdoor Recreation organization, check with them to see if they offer ski rentals (cheapest option!). We rented skis/poles/helmets from Outdoor Rec on our installation and brought them with us. If you plan to drive to Zermatt, keep in mind the town of Zermatt is completely car-free. You can park your car at the Matterhorn Train Terminal in Täsch (14.50 CHF a day) and take the train shuttle into Zermatt for 8 CHF each way (approx. 12 minute ride).

Zermatt, Switzerland: The Town

Shut up, right? This place isn't real. Zermatt, Switzerland can't be this STUNNING. This MAGICAL. 

Oh, but it so is.

Every square inch of this beautiful ski-town tucked away into the commanding Swiss Alps is THAT ADORABLE. I'm ashamed it's taken me so long to blog about it! D and I took a trip to Zermatt last MLK Day weekend with the Frankfurt Ski Club and I still can't get over how amazing our time was there. It snowed buckets almost every day, making for some tough white-out ski conditions, but some seriously beautiful scenery away from the slopes. We stayed in the heart of Zermatt at the Plateau Rosa Hotel with uninhibited views of the Matterhorn. Well, alllmost uninhibited. The snow clouds hung low over the tip of the Matterhorn for 75% of our stay, but we still caught peeks of it here and there. That first photo was the view from our balcony. Surreal, right? Like a page out of a storybook, that view. 

During our 4-day winter holiday, we spent one full day skiing the Swiss Alps...right up there beside that grand 'ol Matterhorn...but I crapped-out half way through our 2nd full ski day. The snow was coming down hard and I could barely see two steps in front of myself, so I begged D to let me head back down the mountain for cocoa and some town-wandering. His legs were burning and patience wearing thin, so it didn't take too much convincing. He happily threw in his ski gloves for the day and joined me for some much needed post-ski relaxing. Don't get me wrong, though, skiing the Swiss Alps was unforgettable. I'd do it again in a heartbeat...and if you've never experienced it...GO! But when you've got a town as gorgeous as Zermatt waiting to be explored a mile below you, you've just got to come out of the clouds to take it all in. 

Stay tuned for scenes atop the Alps during our skiing adventures and our first bites of REAL Swiss fondue! 

Sigh. Can't we go back...like right now? I need more snow magic in my life.