From late November, Luxembourg City fills its squares with wooden stalls, and nearly every one seems to have a steaming pot of Glühwäin, the Luxembourgish spelling of the mulled wine drunk all across the German speaking world. It comes in a glass mug that you pay a deposit on and, quite often, decide to keep. The name means glowing wine, after the heat it is served at, not the faces of the people drinking it, though both apply.

Luxembourg's Grand Prix ran in late September, when the Eifel hills are already reaching for their coats. A pot of Glühwäin on the stove is the right welcome for anyone coming in from a cold grandstand, and there is a full zero proof version for drivers and children.

The mulled wine

Ingredients

• 2 bottles (1.5 liters) dry red wine
• 1 orange
• 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 whole cloves
• 2 star anise
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) water

Method

1. With the peeler, take 4 wide strips of peel from the orange and 2 from the lemon, keeping off as much of the bitter white pith as you can. Cut the orange in half, squeeze out the juice and keep it.
2. Put the water, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, star anise and citrus peel in the saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then simmer gently for 5 minutes.
3. Turn the heat to low, pour in the wine and the orange juice and warm it, stirring now and then, for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not let it boil.
4. Put the lid on, turn the heat to its lowest setting and leave for 10 minutes so the spices steep. Taste and add more sugar, a tablespoon at a time, if you like it sweeter.
5. Ladle through the sieve into heatproof glasses or mugs.

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