Snacks to go with Gluhwein?
December 14, 2011 3:23 PM Subscribe
Snacks to go with mulled wine?
I'm going to a small gathering at which Gluhwein (traditional German mulled wine) will be served. I haven't had Gluhwein before, but I'd like to bring some tasty snacks that will go well with our drinks. There will only about about 8 people there, so labor-intensive treats are ok. Ideas for traditional German foods also welcomed! Any suggestions?
I'm going to a small gathering at which Gluhwein (traditional German mulled wine) will be served. I haven't had Gluhwein before, but I'd like to bring some tasty snacks that will go well with our drinks. There will only about about 8 people there, so labor-intensive treats are ok. Ideas for traditional German foods also welcomed! Any suggestions?
Cheese is the way. Try some salty options like stilton or gorgonzola. On top of this add some pickled gerkins and pickled walnuts (delicious). This weekend gone we had a christmas buffet thingy at our house and cooked sausages wrapped in bacon (we call these 'pigs in blankets' in the UK) and prunes wrapped in bacon ('devils on horseback' apparently). In the same, overloaded, cooking dish as these delights I threw a handful of dates.
All that salty bacon and dried fruit went wild in the oven. Absolutely amazing with the mulled wine and cheese
posted by 0bvious at 3:31 PM on December 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
All that salty bacon and dried fruit went wild in the oven. Absolutely amazing with the mulled wine and cheese
posted by 0bvious at 3:31 PM on December 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Oh! Forgot to mention, several vegetarians in the mix, so some food-involving-meat is ok, but I'll want to bring some veggie-friendly stuff too. Great suggestions so far, thanks!
posted by aka burlap at 3:37 PM on December 14, 2011
posted by aka burlap at 3:37 PM on December 14, 2011
In Sweden, it's ginger cookies (traditional hard flat, or I like a sort of chewy ginger cookie myself) with glögg.
I'd go for something sweet/spicy like that, plus maybe gougeres. I think Obvious has it right with pigs in blankets and devils on horseback (though I use dates with a little goat cheese stuffed inside, wrapped in bacon), too.
posted by Lyn Never at 3:38 PM on December 14, 2011
I'd go for something sweet/spicy like that, plus maybe gougeres. I think Obvious has it right with pigs in blankets and devils on horseback (though I use dates with a little goat cheese stuffed inside, wrapped in bacon), too.
posted by Lyn Never at 3:38 PM on December 14, 2011
Roasted chestnuts - these are very simple but are best done on the spot. So you could either commandeer an oven or make a fire.
posted by rongorongo at 3:39 PM on December 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by rongorongo at 3:39 PM on December 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
Well, gluhwein is served at the Christmas markets, where you can also find various wursts and french fries. How about currywurst? It's either served in a sliced hard roll or cut up into disks and smothered in ketchup. Pretzels would be another good option (that would be large soft pretzels, not the tiny hard things).
You could also try gingerbread/lebkuchen, Stollen, or Printen - all are different spiced sweet bread varieties made around Christmas time. These can be decorated with piped frosting like sugar cookies.
Gluhwein is fairly sweet, so I wouldn't necessarily pair it with something extraordinarily sweet to eat. It's also a wicked hangover, so pace yourself.
posted by backseatpilot at 3:47 PM on December 14, 2011
You could also try gingerbread/lebkuchen, Stollen, or Printen - all are different spiced sweet bread varieties made around Christmas time. These can be decorated with piped frosting like sugar cookies.
Gluhwein is fairly sweet, so I wouldn't necessarily pair it with something extraordinarily sweet to eat. It's also a wicked hangover, so pace yourself.
posted by backseatpilot at 3:47 PM on December 14, 2011
I just had a birthday party that involved mulled wine. We kept it pretty simple and didn't prepare too much stuff ourselves -- there was various kinds of cured meats (we had prosciutto, salami and bresaola), pate, good baguette, cheeses of various sorts (and people kept bringing more of those through the evening), good hummus and baba ghanoush, olives, corn chips and guacamole, mixed nuts, Christmas sugar cookies and brownie bites.It was a hit!
posted by peacheater at 3:50 PM on December 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by peacheater at 3:50 PM on December 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
Those nut and cranberry cracker things with cranberry goat cheese on top are good.
Anything involving prosciutto, figs, and cheese (manchego maybe?)
Basically, salty and sweet with rich flavors, like fig, cinnamon, pomegranate, etc.
posted by small_ruminant at 4:14 PM on December 14, 2011
Anything involving prosciutto, figs, and cheese (manchego maybe?)
Basically, salty and sweet with rich flavors, like fig, cinnamon, pomegranate, etc.
posted by small_ruminant at 4:14 PM on December 14, 2011
Take a log of chevre (creamy, soft goat cheese) and roll it around in either blueberry jelly or dried cranberries and walnuts. Serve on crackers.
Bacon wrapped dates would be awesome
Mandarin orange slices
Dried almonds and pecans - toss with a little melted butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and a dash of all spice - toss in oven for 10-15 minutes and serve warm
Get some decent dark chocolate
YUM!!!
posted by floweredfish at 4:19 PM on December 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
Bacon wrapped dates would be awesome
Mandarin orange slices
Dried almonds and pecans - toss with a little melted butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and a dash of all spice - toss in oven for 10-15 minutes and serve warm
Get some decent dark chocolate
YUM!!!
posted by floweredfish at 4:19 PM on December 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
Flammkuchen are a completely traditional accompaniment in the Christmas markets, at least in the southern parts of Germany. They are EXCELLENT.
posted by kdar at 4:21 PM on December 14, 2011
posted by kdar at 4:21 PM on December 14, 2011
Traditional Christmas cakes like stollen or panettone (panettone is best served lightly toasted and buttered, in my opinion), or German cookies like pfeffernusse!
posted by infinitywaltz at 4:28 PM on December 14, 2011
posted by infinitywaltz at 4:28 PM on December 14, 2011
Lox with cream cheese and capers or dill go with anything.
I think devilled eggs go with anything, too.
posted by small_ruminant at 4:40 PM on December 14, 2011
I think devilled eggs go with anything, too.
posted by small_ruminant at 4:40 PM on December 14, 2011
A friend of ours has a gluehwein party every year; last year I brought Lebkuchen, this year I brought apple strudel. Both were huge hits and went well with the wine.
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 4:45 PM on December 14, 2011
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 4:45 PM on December 14, 2011
Sorry, forgot to note that I didn't make the sauce for the strudel and it didn't seem to need it.
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 4:50 PM on December 14, 2011
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 4:50 PM on December 14, 2011
For some reason pumpkin bread comes to mind.
Maybe because I have some pumpkin bread at home. And some wine, which I could mull. Hmm, you gave me an idea.
posted by madcaptenor at 5:07 PM on December 14, 2011
Maybe because I have some pumpkin bread at home. And some wine, which I could mull. Hmm, you gave me an idea.
posted by madcaptenor at 5:07 PM on December 14, 2011
The New York Times covered almost precisely this question a few days ago. They recommend "pepparkakor — the spicy, buttery gingersnaps that often accompany glogg," and provide a recipe for it.
posted by sashapearl at 8:59 AM on December 15, 2011
posted by sashapearl at 8:59 AM on December 15, 2011
Response by poster: Oh, yay! Wonderful answers, all. Can't wait to try a bunch of these! Thanks, everyone.
posted by aka burlap at 9:26 AM on December 15, 2011
posted by aka burlap at 9:26 AM on December 15, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Or blue cheese cookies, with just a little cayenne for bite. Make icebox-style cookies with a cup of flour, a pinch of cayenne, 1/2 cup of creamed butter, 1/2 pound of blue cheese, mashed. Add chopped nuts or herbs if you like. Perfect little nibbles with warm, spicy wine.
posted by peachfuzz at 3:30 PM on December 14, 2011 [2 favorites]