Although a Christmas dish, my wonderful German heritage (and the fact that I live in a very cold country) means I make Gluehwein throughout the year. Some people might think that’s a little strange but it’s warming, alcoholic and it gives the house a wonderful smell.

Over the years I’ve tried and tested many Gluehwein recipes, some of them traditional family recipes, others from the Internet. The final result is a recipe that I’ve tried, tested and adapted over the years. I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• 4.5 liters of standard red wine
• 12 whole cloves
• 8 X 3” cinnamon sticks
• 1 large orange sliced into even rounds
• ½ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¾ cup of white sugar

Directions:

1. Take a large pot and place it onto a medium heat until the bottom begins to warm. Now pour in the wine, being careful not to spill any of it.
2. Set the heat to medium and cover with a lid. Leave to warm up, but do not allow to boil. Once you begin to notice one or two bubbles you should investigate to check how warm the liquid is.
3. Now add all of the remaining ingredients, stirring it for 2-3 minutes or until the sugar has fully dissolved into the mixture.
4. Continue to warm for another 8-10 minutes before straining over a sieve and back into the bowl. This is simply to remove ingredients such as the Cinnamon sticks and orange slices.
5. Leave on a very low heat and serve to guests (or to yourself) warm.

David is a food blogger and writer over at FoodBloggrs.com where he covers recipes, food trends, blog reviews and a whole range of other foodie topics along with a team of very good-looking and very talented food bloggers and a number of guest bloggers (he’s looking for new guest writers too). Although much of his time is dedicated to food and writing about it, he does make time for his two dogs and cycling, his main other pastime.