I went to a post-Christmas get together at my wife's best friend's house last night. I knew very few people, but the main draw was some Norwegian concoction called glug. (The word has those two dots above the 'u', but I can't figure out how to type that) It's pronounced gloog.

I looked over the recipe a bit, and it's primarily red wine, but it's also got fermented raisins, orange peel, brandy, and a few other things in it. It takes a long time to prepare, and it's served not-quite-hot. Besides the overpowering fumes as you raise the cup to your mouth, the liquid then seems to suck all moisture out of your mouth as you swallow it, so you feel like you're drinking heat.

Apparently, the Vikings drank this to stay warm. It doesn't surprise me. My breath after drinking a very small cup (I was a glug virgin, and I was driving) would have melted ice off a driveway.

 But if I ever get the chance, I'll drink it again. Hey, it would be cheaper than heating your home this winter....