The Christmas Markets in Vienna all sell mulled wine or in German glühwein. It's perfect. The weather is cold. The drink is hot and spiced with orange and cinnamon making it taste like the holidays. Moreover, you get to walk around with a mug of hot wine while you're shopping.

Basically, you pay a deposit on the mug. Then when you're done you have the option of refilling the mug, returning the mug for your deposit or keeping the mug. <em>Genius</em>, if you ask me.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Me drinking mulled wine outside!"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="IMG_1123" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6413551353/"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6031/6413551353_4400248043_b.jpg" alt="IMG_1123" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

Each of the mulled wines is a little different.  That makes it seem totally acceptable to try a few.

Oh and did I mention it's cold outside? It's so much nicer to shop with hot wine in your hands. Sure there's increased danger of spilling wine on your wonderful new winter coat but sometimes a girl has to risk it. Luckily I escaped unscathed. <!--more-->

It seems like the most popular base is wine but there are a range of different choices from white wine to orange punch to beer punch and a lot of options in between. I mostly stuck to the glühwein made with red wine. I know what I like and really beer punch doesn't sound that tasty. Sure that's probably why I should have tried it but I didn't.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="At a Christmas Market drinking hot wine"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="IMG_1110" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6413523191/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7033/6413523191_8dcbf5cc90_b.jpg" alt="IMG_1110" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

This trip confirmed a few things for me. I'm in love with Mulled Wine. Winter Weather (at least right now, I am. Check back in with me in January and I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune). Christmas. Cinnamon. Sparkly Lights. Red and Green. Capitol Letters. Gingerbread. Hats and Gloves.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Mug of Glühwein"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="IMG_1309" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6413927399/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6413927399_8dd4f7e999_b.jpg" alt="IMG_1309" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

Now I am definitely going to try my hand at making glühwein. It just seems like the right thing to do. It's winter here in Bulgaria after all and I like red wine.

So I scouted out some recipes for glühwein. They all seem pretty easy. It's some combination of wine, sugar, spices and orange.  <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/the-cookworks/mulled-wine-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">This recipe from the Food Network</a> looks pretty basic and I have a hunch this is one of those times where basic is better. Or there's <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/332441/mulled-wine" target="_blank">this recipe from Martha Stewart </a>which has a few more ingredients and sounds delightful.  And then there is <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/mulled-wine.html" target="_blank">this Williams and Sonoma recipe</a> I found which has an interesting combination of spices.

Thoughts? Does anyone have a tried and true recipe? One that you absolutely love? Could you send it my way?

Thanks.