by the Tiled Stove
Cozy Evenings
Winter Warmth: Cozy Evenings by the Tiled Stove with Red Wine, Comfort Food, and Winter Cocktails
Chilly days and cozy, warm evenings
With winter comes the opportunity for some magical contrast in the form of cozy nights at home. On those chilly days, one of the most soul-warming evening activities you can do is turn your humble abode into a comforting cocoon of indulgence. Achieving this doesn't take much - a warming tiled stove or fireplace to cast a warm glow across the room, some red wine to sip alongside a wintery meal, plus some seasonal cocktails to round off the evening is a recipe for maximum comfort. Join us as we take you through these steps to make you snug as a bug this winter.
Step one
creating a warming ambiance
Also known as a masonry stove or ceramic stove, the tiled stove originated in medieval Europe, becoming particularly popular in central and northern European countries like Germany and Sweden. Initially exclusive to the wealthy, tiled stoves became more widely accessible over the decades, combining function and fashion to serve as decorative pieces that warmed homes during cooler months of the year. The popularity of these home-warming devices declined in the 20th century as modern heating methods became more prevalent. Still, they've retained a degree of presence in some homes thanks to their aesthetic and nostalgic value and have even enjoyed a mini revival in recent years.
As eye-catching and effective as they are, many of us don't have a tiled stove in our homes. Fortunately, there are other ways to replicate the cozy atmosphere offered by a tiled stove. A fireplace (wood, gas, or electric - they all do the job!) can create the same atmosphere for you, or you can even layer on the cozy clothes and turn on the side lamp to create a warm glow in your home. The goal is to create a warm glow in your home - there's no wrong way to go about achieving this, provided your methods are safe and responsible!
Step two
choosing your red wine
Your house is set; now it's time to indulge. As a wine glass company, it's no surprise that we recommend enjoying wine during the winter, but there is good reason for it! Red wine, in particular, can create a soothingly warm sensation on chilly nights, making it a fantastic option. We recommend opting for fuller-bodied red wines on such occasions, such as:
- Cabernet Sauvignon: With its bold flavors and robust structure, Cabernet Sauvignon offers a comforting depth to the overall ambiance of a cozy winter evening at home.
- Merlot: Featuring slightly softer tannins than other fuller-bodied reds, a silky and smooth Merlot offers a comforting touch that'll help you truly unwind.
- Zinfandel: Red Zinfandel is full of dark fruits, such as plums and blackberries, plus spices like star anise, that perfectly fit the feel of some winter indulgence.
Malbec, Syrah, Shiraz, Tempranillo, Rioja, and Grenache/Garnacha are other fuller-bodied wines you may consider. These fuller-bodied wines are also the perfect options if you opt for some festive mulled wine. For more information to help you make mulled wine that your friends envy, check out our blog on mulled wine and creating your own DIY winter market.
Step three
pairing your wine with food
Another upside of enjoying red wine during the cooler months is that it pairs so well with classic wintery dishes. Here are a few combinations we think will add beautifully to the snug atmosphere you're trying to create in your home:
- Roast Beef and Cabernet Sauvignon: Roasts reign supreme this time of year, and the rich flavors of a roast beef dish call for a robust wine like Cabernet Sauvignon to match its intensity.
- Lamb Tagine and Merlot: A one-pot dish like a tagine allows you to maintain some welcome simplicity when crafting your cozy evening at home. The tender lamb, aromatic spices, and dried fruits make this dish a perfect companion to a fruity yet bold glass of Chilean Merlot.
- Mushroom Stroganoff and Zinfandel: Since red wines pair so nicely with various types of meat, choosing the meatiest vegetable for our vegetarian option makes sense. The earthy, brothy notes of mushrooms harmonize beautifully with Zinfandel's dark fruit flavors, giving you a food and drink combination with roots placed firmly in the forest.
Whichever option you choose, the addition of a good wine pairing turns a simple meal into a winter feast. For more inspiration in this area, visit our main blog page and select the recipes filter.
Step four
top it off with a winter cocktail
A well-made cocktail is perfect for rounding off your evening. We have a few specific suggestions here that will help you capture the essence of winter perfectly.
relax on a cozy sofa and then enjoy
Hot Chocolate with marshmallows
Ingredients for 2
- 50 g cream
- 100 g dark chocolate
- 500 ml whole milk
- 4 tbsp orange liqueur
- 8 small marshmallows
Preparation
- whip the cream until stiff. Finely chop the chocolate and place 40 g of it in a bowl. Heat the water in a medium saucepan, but do not let it boil. Remove the pan from the heat, place the bowl on top so that the water just touches the bottom of the bowl and melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally.
- In the meantime, bring the milk to the boil, remove from the heat and melt the remaining chocolate in it. Stir in the liqueur. Pour the hot chocolate into two large mugs, top with the cream and stir in a little. Sprinkle the marshmallows on top and slowly spoon the melted chocolate over the top. Serve immediately.
Bring on the Cozy Winter Evenings!
Hot Aperol
Ingredients
- 1.5 organic oranges
- 300 ml orange juice
- 750 ml dry white wine
- 40 g Diamant brown rock candy
- 100 ml orange bitters (15% by volume, e.g. Aperol)
Preparation
- Rinse the organic oranges in hot water and cut into thin slices.
- Heat the orange juice with the orange slices, white wine and Diamant brown sugar candy. Leave to infuse over a medium heat with the lid on for approx. 10-15 minutes so that the candy dissolves.
- Stir in the orange bitters and serve the Hot Aperol hot.
a super light and refreshing cocktail for the holidays!
Winter Spritz
Ingredients
- 3 ounces Aperol
- 3 ounces Prosecco
- 1 ounce cranberry juice
- 2 ounces club soda I've also used cranberry spindrift for this!
- 1 orange wedge
- 1 orange zest twist
- 1 sprig of rosemary
Preparation
Combine the aperol, prosecco and cranberry in a glass with ice. Add in an orange wedge and a twist. Pop in a sprig of rosemary for festiveness. It's so pretty and easy!
Enhance the experience with the proper glassware
We can't finish a blog involving wine without emphasizing the importance of using the proper glass to elevate your drinks on your cozy evening. As a basic rule for red wines, you'll need full, round bowls and large rim diameters to provide greater aeration for the wine, drawing out its aromas and flavors. For a deep dive into this topic, we encourage you to read our guide to different types of wine glasses.
Let's not forget cocktails. Like wine, cocktails have different glassware needs to help them look and taste the part. Here are our suggestions for the cocktails listed above:
- Your Cranberry Moscow Mule will benefit from a short tumbler, like our RIEDEL Drink Specific Glassware Double Rocks Set.
- A White Christmas Mojito looks the business in a wide, voluminous glass, such as our RIEDEL Stemless Gin Sets.
- A Gingerbread Eggnog and a Bombardino are both right at home in a RIEDEL Nick and Nora Glass.
- A Grog cocktail demands a long drink glass to accommodate its generous mixer use. The RIEDEL Drink Specific Glassware Highball Glass fits the bill here perfectly.
There you have it. A source of warmth and light, plus some well-matched food and drink, is all you need to help you bask in the comfort of winter evenings. Give some of the above-suggested pairings and recipes a try, and let the winter magic unfold in your home!
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