Glühwein is wine that has been spiced and heated up – although not boiled! It is drunk in winter during advent and as such is strongly associated with Christmas in Germany.
The main spices used are cinnamon, cloves, lemon and aniseed and both red and white wine can be used, although red wine is more common at the markets. It is also available ready-to-drink in bottles and cartons at supermarkets.
In English it is known as mulled wine.
To hear a simple explanation and a short discussion in German, listen to the podcast:
(Press the “play” button to listen to the podcast)
Lebkuchen is a type of cake associated with Christmas. It is baked using honey and a number of spices and is known throughout Germany by a variety of names such as Pfefferkuchen and Magenbrot.