Varené Víno

The story

In wooden huts strung with lights, at the Christmas markets that open in Slovak towns as early as the end of November, varené víno is served warm. The Slovak version of mulled wine is made with red wine, cinnamon, cloves, and orange peel. People drink it standing outdoors, hands wrapped around their cups, beside stalls selling medovníky and other sweets, and many towns hold their own competitions or festivals devoted to the best mulled wine in the region. As in neighboring countries, many families have a secret addition of their own — a splash of brandy, a sprig of rosemary — that makes the drink recognizably theirs. Varené víno is enjoyed all winter long, not only at Christmas itself, at ice rinks and winter events around town. For Slovak families in the diaspora, making varené víno at home is one of the simplest ways to bring the atmosphere of a Slovak town square in winter to the senses, even far from the homeland.