I'm in a festive mood, so I thought I'd share my Swedish grandmother's recipe for Glogg.
1 orange studded with cloves (space cloves about a centimeter apart)
2 sticks of cinnamon
cup of slivered blanched almonds
8-12 cardamom pods
cup of raisins
cup of sugar
1-2 large bottles of ruby port, such as Christian Brothers
pint of Everclear or vodka
In a large pot, boil a quart of water with the sugar, orange, and spices for 20-30 minutes. Turn the heat down to low, then add the port. Warm it to barely below simmer. Serve.
The alcohol in the port volatilizes over time, so periodically give it a splash of Everclear or vodka to keep the alcohol content up.
I had a guest at our holiday smorgasbord last year that this was probably the most delicious drink she's ever had.