“Die Feuerzangenbowle”
This beverage originally comes from Germany and is usually consumed hot, traditionally during Christmas festivities. It is a variation of the Rhineland ‘Bowle’, named after the bowl in which it is served, although Rhineland punch is made from white wine and rum with added fruit and is consumed cold.
Feuerzangenbowle literally means ‘fire tongs punch’ as tongs are essential to prepare this drink properly. To make it, the required ingredients are a small, cone-shaped sugar loaf, red wine, cloves, cinnamon, lemon juice, orange juice and white rum. The rum and sugar are set aside while the rest is mixed in a bowl and then heated over a low flame to make a sort of mulled wine. Once this is ready, the tongs are laid flat on the top of the bowl and the sugar loaf is placed on top of them, drenched generously with rum and then set alight. As the caramelised sugar melts, it drips into the mulled wine and the Feuerzangenbowle is then ready to be served.
It is believed that this beverage dates back more than 200 years and was also known as Krambambuli owing to its close resemblance with this red spirit produced in Gdansk and popular amongst German student fraternities during the 19th century. It rose to fame after 1944, with the release of the cult eponymous collegial comedy starring Heinz Rühmann, a German big-screen idol in the 20th century. The opening scene shows old friends sat cosily around a table, reminiscing over their student days as they share a bowl of punch, with the sugar loaf in flames.
Many towns in Germany still follow this tradition today: Munich and Nuremberg even organise giant Feuerzangenbowlen at their Christmas markets. There, gigantic cauldrons some 2,5 m wide and 3,5 m deep, hold almost 9000 litres of punch heated to 70°C. It is eagerly shared by passers-by and remains a real symbol of cosy Yuletide festivities!
