Heinz Rühmann and the Feuerzangenbowle – do you remember this classic?

For New Year’s Eve or “Silvester” as we call it in Germany almost every family has a unique culinary tradition to ring in the new year.  For many it is serving a zesty Gulasch at the Silvester Party while counting the hours to midnight, for others it is inviting family and friends to a delicious and fun Raclette evening or Fondue. One of these many traditions is the “Feuerzangenbowle”.

Perhaps this delicious party punch finds its way to become also one of your traditions in the years to come. For the preparation just follow the recipe below that our guest author Gabriele Utz is sharing with us, … and for everyone who hasn’t seen or wants to see Heinz Rühmann in his famous role again, enjoy the whole movie “Die Feuerzangenbowle” below at the end of the post.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Feuerzangenbowle – German Party Punch with Sugar Hat (by Gabriele Utz, MyBestGermanRecipes.com)

Feuerzangenbowle is a special German party attraction especially for New Years Eve or in the winter time before Christmas (Adventszeit). You can find the hot spiced wine on German Christmas markets. The biggest Feuerzangenbowle was served in 2005 in Munich. 9.000 liter punch had been mixed and heated in a huge copper kettle with a diameter of 2.5 meter and served to the visitors of the market. Near the Nuernberg Christmas Market you can find a similar kettle. The hot party drink became popular in the German movie “Die Feuerzangenbowle” with Heinz Ruehmann from 1944.

To make the hot beverage you need to have a special Feuerzangenbowle set – Find it here: http://store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/clink?gdcom+cbJvSj+feuerzangeset.html

Ingredients for ‘Feuerzangenbowle’ – serves 8

1. Put orange peel, lemon peel and cloves into a tea filter bag, tie shut with white yarn. Hang into a copper kettle, pour in wine.
2. Heat up close to boiling point, but make sure it never gets to boil. Put the kettle in the middle of your table so all your guests can watch the ceremony.
3. You normally use a “Feuerzange”, but as I suspect this might be hard to get, you can also use a grid from your barbecue set – especially the ones you normally use to barbecue herrings in should work pretty well. The point is that you should be able to put the sugar hat on it (lying on its side) and place the whole thing safely over the kettle.
4. Once you’ve got that far, you’re ready for the ceremony.First, dim your lights. Then pour some rum onto the sugar hat, best using a ladle, and light it (this is why the rum has to be at least 108 proof). Keep the flames burning by ladling more rum on the sugar hat, until the sugar has completely melted and dripped into the wine.
5. Remove the “Feuerzange” and the bag with the spices. Serve in heat-proof glasses.
6. Variation: Many people like to add sugar and/or a little orange juice (preferably freshly pressed).

—————————————————————————————————————–        ABOUT

MyBestGermanRecipes is the creation of Gabriele Utz. Interested in cooking and baking ever since she can think of she now has turned her passion into reality, and has started an online cookbook with authentic German recipes in 2010. The website offers more than 300 original German recipes.