Feuerzangenbowle
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Feuerzangenbowle is a traditional German alcoholic drink, often part of a Christmas or New Year's Eve tradition. The name translates literally as "fire-tongs punch". It is a traditional drink of the Studentenverbindung fraternities who in the 19th century also called it Krambambuli as the red colour is reminiscent of an eponymous cherry liqueur from Danzig.
The popularity of the drink has been boosted by the 1944 film comedy Die Feuerzangenbowle. At a lively get-together in a tavern with close friends where they enjoy Feuerzangenbowle, the accomplished middle-aged writer Johannes Pfeiffer (Heinz Rühmann) reveals that he was educated by tutors at home. His friends persuade him to enroll in secondary school and pose as a student so that he can also experience the fun and mischief his friends were engaged in.
[edit] Procedure
Feuerzangenbowle is prepared in a bowl, similar to a fondue set, which usually is suspended over a small burner (rechaud). The bowl is filled with heated dry red wine spiced with cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange peel, similar to mulled wine. The Feuerzange, originally indeed tongs, nowadays is a special kind of grater to hold the Zuckerhut (sugarloaf), a conical lump of sugar around seven inches long, mounted on top of the bowl. The sugar is soaked with rum and set alight, melting and caramelizing. The rum should have at least 54% alcohol per volume in order to burn properly. More rum is poured with a ladle until all the sugar has melted and mixed with the wine. The resulting punch is served in mugs while the burner keeps the bowl warm. More important than the drink itself is the ceremony, conveying a notion of Gemütlichkeit.
[edit] External links
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