There are a lot of reasons I favor the colder months over the warmer ones: Snuggly sweaters, boot season, snow (yes, I actually like snow), and — of course — warm drinks. Iced coffee is great and all, but nothing makes me feel quite as cozy as a steaming beverage on a cold night. As such, it’s probably not a surprise that I’m bookmarking this infographic devoted to chronicling different hot drinks from around the world; if you’re tired of the same old hot cocoa or coffee-based drinks, it’s just what the doctor ordered. If, y’know, doctors were in the habit of prescribing delicious and occasionally boozy beverage as a course of treatment.
Created by U.K. travel site Medway Leisure, the infographic in questions features a whopping 14 tasty-sounding beverage ideas from countries ranging from Egypt to Sweden. Some of them involve alcohol, while others don’t, so whether you’re a gleeful booze drinker or a teetotaler, there’s something here for you. The infographic is pretty informative, breaking down each drink by ingredient — but just to kick it up a notch, I did a little digging and hunted down some recipes for a few of the beverages in question. Need some winter drink inspiration? Check out these four recipes, and scroll down to see the full infographic. Bottoms up!
1. Swedish White Glogg
Glogg exists in a few different places and in a few different forms. A mulled wine drink, I’ve actually only encountered it made with red before — so this white version from Sweden? That’s new to me. It gets its kick not only from the wine (two different types, in this case), but also from a clear spirit like vodka, with a whole lot of spices to finish it off. This white glogg recipe should tell you everything you need to know about how to make it.
2. Colombian Canelazo
Exactly what aguardiente — the key ingredient for canelazo — is varies depending on where in the world you are, but in Colombia, it’s a liqueur derived from sugar cane that tastes like anise (so if licorice isn’t your think, you might want to steer clear of it). It’s super boozy — its alcohol content is between 24 and 29 percent — so it definitely packs a punch. Add some spices and brown sugar, and you’ve got a terrific warm winter boozefest.
Canelazo itself also has a few variations — it’s also made in Ecuador — but this recipe will help you make canelazo the Colombian way.
3. Egyptian Sahlab
Not a hot chocolate fan? Sahlab sounds kind of like hot vanilla, so maybe it’ll be more your speed. Traditionally it relies on sahlab or salep powder, which derives from a type of orchid, as a thickener; you might be able to get it online, but in a pinch, cornstarch will get the job done, too. This sahlab recipe offers it as a suggested substitute if you need it.
Or you could just buy instant sahlab drink mix — that’s an option, too.
4. Australian Wattlecino
Not going to lie: I mostly included this one because “wattlecino” is my new favorite word. It also sounds delicious, though — it’s apparently a coffee substitute made with roasted and ground wattleseed instead of coffee beans that tastes kind of hazelnutty — so rest assured that I’m not totally relying on the sound of the word for its inclusion. Getting a hold of wattleseed outside of Australia might be difficult, but if you can find it, this wattlecino recipe might be worth a try.
Check out the full infographic below:
Images: Giphy; Medway Leisure
