Camellia Food And Beverages Tips

Sorry I bailed on all my loyal fans yesterday, but I went downtown to the German Christmas festival in Chicago with good friends and drank way to much GLUHWEIN!
It is delicious and the perfect warm cocktail for these unbearable Midwest winters.

Ingredients:

1 bottle of red wine (see note below)
2 cinnamon sticks
16 whole cloves
1 orange, quartered and halved - 8 pcs
2 tbl honey
1 tsp mix of ground allspice, nutmeg and coriander
1 cup water
sugar to taste
lemon slice for garnish
brandy or port (see note below)

Pour water in a pan over medium heat. Add cinnamon, honey and spices. Push two cloves into each of the oranges pieces and add to the pan. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Taste for sweetness and add sugar if you like. Let the pan sit for about an hour to let the flavors come together. Warm before serving, strain out the orange pieces and add a cinnamon stick or lemon slice for garnish.

Note: For the wine, choose a fruity wine, not dry and try to stay away from oaked wines. A Beaujolais Nouveau would do quite nicely. Since you only bring the wine to a boil, Gluhwein is still an alcoholic beverage. The addition of a bit of brandy or port will kick that up a notch!

Keep Warm!
ENJOY!