Danish afternoon cHRISTMAS tea

Our neighbour from downstairs kindly offered us a traditional afternoon tea at her apartment yesterday, I was so excited for a few reasons, I enjoy walking into other peoples spaces and seeing how they live, what they surround themselves with and so on. I was also excited to try out a Danish afternoon tea, well in this case it was homemade gluhwein and appelskein: Delicious.

Our neighbour had invited another couple with that she will be traveling to France with for December, they own a little villa in Cannes and will be enjoying the Pariesienne way of life for a few days this Christmas.

We started the night with some chit chat and introductions and then got seated around a beautifully red and green decorated table. The night was created by the lighting of the fourth candle.

On the first Sunday before Christmas, one candle is lit, and the most festive and celebrated season of the year begins. On the second Sunday of Advent, the first candle on the wreath and one more candle are lit. The ritual continues Sunday after Sunday until on the last Sunday before Christmas all four candles are lit together. I think this is such a beautiful tradition.

During Winter in Denmark, the light captured and enjoyed is short and so the Danes keep lights on and Christmas lights decorate the streets creating a warmth and coziness.
When you walk the streets at night you will see candles burning in the windows of nearly every danish home.

Interesting fact: Danes light candles, thousands upon thousands of candles. In fact, the Danes burn so many candles that the nation consumes more candles per capita than any other country on earth.

The afternoon dispelled into the night with lots of chatter and laughter. I was honoured to be around a couple and our neighbour who were so well travelled, they really have seen the world. For me; wealth lies in travel and these people were rich.

After mugs of gluhwine and way too many appelskein we rolled back up to our apartment.
Appelskein is a traditional Christmas treat served with icing sugar and blueberry jam.


The hospitality will be reversed in Janauary  and I will be having my neighbour over for something traditionally South African.

Recipe for Gluhwine

To 4 litres of red wine you need:

• Caster sugar (amount proportional to quality of red wine, the worse the wine the more sugar you need, add it to taste, but start with about 2 cups)
• 6 - 8 Cinnamon sticks
• Whole cloves
• 2 Oranges
• Whole allspice
• 2 cups of orange juice
• If you wish to get your friends and yourself tipsy even more quickly, or just to add a little extra kick, add brandy, sweet sherry or port to the mix. (optional but rather tasty)

Method:

1. Pour the red wine into a large pot and put it on the stove on a very low heat – you must not let the wine boil or the world could end… and that is not something you want to risk...
2. I tend to cut the oranges into slices and then put about 4 cloves into each slice, then put them in with the wine.
3. Break the cinnamon sticks in half or thirds and put them in with the wine as well as 10 of the whole all spice.
4. Add in the sherry or port as well as 2 cups of orange juice.
5. Add in 2 cups of sugar and stir.
6. Stir on and off for about 30 mins to give the spices time to infuse with the wine and for the magic to occur, then taste it, and add more sugar as needed (possible up to 4 or 5 cups more in the wine is really bad).
7. Let it cook/infuse/whatever for about 30 mins more (again, not letting it boil).
8. Drink and be happy :)