Recipe by Thistlemoon
In Scandinavia, drinking spiced wine during the holiday season is a celebrated event. Norwegians have special holiday parties dedicated to drinking spiced wine during the winter holidays. The most common wine is called Gløgg. Here is a different version called Bisp, or in English, “Bishop,” which is red wine flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, and peppercorns, swirled with aquavit (a Norwegian potato based liquor, flavored with caraway), and named after the red color of the bishop’s cloak.
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups filtered water
1 vanilla bean
2 cinnamon sticks
12 whole black peppercorns
2/3 cups sugar
1 bottle (3 cups) red wine
3 ½ T aquavit
METHOD:
Bring water, vanilla bean, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, and sugar to a boil. Simmer over low heat for about 1–1 ½ hours. Strain and reserve liquid. Add the red wine and aquavit to the sugar syrup. Serve in heat proof glasses. Bisp can be made also using berry wines – like cherry or blueberry. This drink can be made non-alcoholic using black currant, pomegranate, or blueberry juices. Ingredients can easily be doubled for a larger batch!
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