Boozy Hot Chocolate (Three Ways)

This very adult hot cocoa doesn't even resemble the watery version made with powder and adorned with dehydrated marshmallows that I drank as a child.  This is rich and creamy with a little kick of your choice.  A little goes a long way;  especially if you make it with whole milk.  So sit back, relax, and enjoy your cup on a cold winter afternoon.

You can add whichever liqueur strikes your fancy.  I experimented with Grand Marnier, Frangelico, and a Lilly coffee liqueur.  Each was different but all three were good and we couldn't decided which one we preferred.

BOOZY HOT CHOCOLATE (THREE WAYS)

Serves 2

2 cups 2 percent milk (or whole if your feeling indulgent)

3 1/2 ounces good quality dark chocolate

4 teaspoons dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons liqueur of your choice 

Whipped cream

Garnishes as desired (orange zest, whole coffee beans, cocoa powder, etc)

1)  Chop the chocolate into small pieces.  Add to a medium sized saucepan with the brown sugar and

      milk.

2)  Stirring frequently, warm over medium low heat.

3)  Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of the liqueur of your choice in the bottom of each mug.  Ladle in the cocoa

     and stir to combine.

4)  Top with a dollop of whipped cream and garnish, if desired.  I used orange zest for the Grand

      Marnier version, a coffee bean for the coffee version, and a dusting of Dutch processed cocoa for

      the Frangelico version.

Drink and enjoy!

Slivovitz (Plum Brandy)

Gezuar!

Earlier this fall I came across a recipe for plum brandy in the Food Section of the Washington Post.  With only five simple ingredients, the recipe promised to produce a traditional Eastern European plum brandy. The kicker?  It had to sit for ninety days before it was ready to drink. Because plums happened to be plentiful here in Albania, decided to give this recipe a try.  For the first two weeks the brandy in the making did require minimal daily attention.  After that I put my jars on a shelf in the pantry and forgot about them.

Shortly after Christmas I dug them out and we sampled the results. Thanks in part to the inclusion of cinnamon sticks, the deep purple drink tasted like a boozy red hot candy.  Personally I found the brandy to be a bit too strong for my liking. Glenn, however, is a fan.

SLIVOVITZ

2 1/2 pounds purple plums

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 3-inch cinnamon stick

2 1-inch pieces lemon peel

4 cups vodka or Everclear grain alcohol; I used the Everclear

1)  Use a sharp paring knife to pierce the fruit through to the pit, cutting each plum 3 or 4 times and examining each one

      to make sure it's perfect. (Bruised fruit ferments too quickly.)

2)   Pack the fruit into the jar(s) and add the sugar, cinnamon stick and lemon peel. Pour in enough vodka or grain

       alcohol to cover the plums, and cap the jar securely.

3)  Every day for 2 weeks, invert the jar. It's a good idea to place the jar in a bowl, to contain any leakage, then pour the

      contents of the bowl back into the jar. At the end of 2 weeks, the sugar will have dissolved.

4)  Place the jar in a closet or other dark space for 90 days.

5)  Strain the finished slivovitz through a coffee filter and transfer it to a storage container or gift bottles.

Step One; Day One

Day Three

Three months later and ready to drink

Gluhwein (Mulled Wine)

Nothing says Christmas to me more than mulled red wine.  Called by its German name of gluhwein, this warm spicy red wine is a staple of the holiday season throughout Europe.  Regardless of where you are the base of the drink is the same; red wine is simmered with a variety of spices producing a warm and intoxicating drink that is sipped from small cups purchased from street vendors.  Each country seems to have their own take on this traditional drink; in the Czech Republic slices of lemon float on top of the drink while orange is the citrus of choice in Slovenia and Croatia.  Germany and Austria seem to forgo the the fruit but "class" up their presentation by serving the hot beverage from commemorative mugs instead of paper cups.  (This makes consumption so much more enjoyable).  Look around a town square during the holiday season and groups of people will be standing around sipping their drinks and enjoying the holiday season.

I've been making my own version of gluhwein for many years.  Whether it was served at our Christmas parties in Norfolk, VA or Tirana, Albania, every drop of the spicy warm goodness is inevitably gone by the end of the night.  You can easily double or triple the following recipe if you are serving a crowd (or want a lot for yourself).  For larger groups I like to make the gluhwein in a crock pot which makes it easy to serve and keeps it warm until the last drop has been drunk.

GLUHWEIN

2 .75 liters dry red wine

1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup white sugar-or more to taste

10 whole peppercorns

10 whole allspice

20 whole cloves

6 whole cinnamon sticks

zest of two oranges

1)  Toast spices in a small saucepan until fragrant being careful not to scorch them.

2)  Place smaller spices (peppercorns, allspice, and cloves) in a tea ball or cheesecloth bag.  Place all of

     the spices into a large saucepan or crackpot.  

3)  Add the wine, brandy, sugar, and orange zest to the pot.

4)  Bring to a simmer over medium heat being careful not to boil the liquid.  Stir occasionally to make
     sure sugar is dissolved.

5)  Reduce heat and let steep a minimum of 1 hour or longer.

When using a crock pot, I will use the "warm" setting and allow the flavors to intensify for the duration of serving while keeping the gluhwein warm.

Enjoying gluhwein in Garmisch, Germany