Glögg and schnapps
The hot spicy glögg drink and schnapps are a part of the Swedish culinary tradition.
Glögg
Glögg is a spiced, sugared and simmered (or ‘mulled’) red wine. In Sweden this is a beverage that people consume almost exclusively during the Christmas season, usually with raisins and blanched almonds added. Glögg is preferably served in a special little mug with a handle.
Glögg recipe
Dry red wine*, 750 ml
Brandy*, 75 ml
Honey, 100 g
2 cinnamon sticks
4 cardamom pods
3 cloves
Zest of 1 orange
Warm it all in a pan. Pour through a sieve. Serve with raisins and almonds.
*Use a red cordial instead of wine and brandy for an alcohol-free version.
Schnapps
Both those who prefer to skip the aquavit and those who carefully select their favourite one know that this form of vodka is among the pleasures of the Swedish table.
Admittedly, some probably use the snaps (in English known by the German name schnapps) as an excuse to sing drinking songs, an inevitable part of the schnapps drinking.
Helan går – drinking song
Helan går
Sjung hopp faderallan lallan lej
Helan går
Sjung hopp faderallan lej
Och den som inte helan tar
Han heller inte halvan får
Helan går
*drink*
Sjung hopp faderallan lej
Schnapps goes well with herring
A glass of schnapps may be large or small, but the drink is distilled from grain or potatoes and may be spiced in an endless variety of flavours, always taken from nature. Wormwood, caraway, St. John’s wort, bog-myrtle and blackcurrant are typical examples.
Swedes often offer guests a glass of schnapps when they serve herring. Aquavit is also among the usual accompaniments during those late summer parties featuring whole crayfish boiled with dill, as well as at Christmas, when a schnapps glass may be decorated with the Swedish equivalent of Father Christmas.
And then there's the drinking songs! Singing is pretty much an inevitable part of drinking schnapps, and the most popular among the traditional drinking songs is probably ‘Helan går’.
