Jaunted

The taste: There's a slew of "how to make Glögg" recipes online (here's a good one), but hands down the best experience is buying it from a street stall on a chilly evening, then shivering and drinking with friends. Glögg is a hot wine, made of cheap red and a splash of brandy mulled with spices including cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon. Blanched almonds or raisins are typically served floating on top.

As soon as it's not so hot it sears the tip of your tongue, start sipping. The alcohol will quickly open up your sinuses, while the the heat trails down your throat and begins to spread through your body. It's heady, so you won't want to chug it down, but so tasty you'll likely want a second glass.

The price: Anywhere from 27 krona in Sweden to $5 a cup in the US.

Where to find it: Every bar, most alcohol-serving restaurants and even pop-up street shacks all around Sweden during the winter. In the states, it's harder to come by until one day you'll pass a sign advertising its availability at a local watering hole, much like the neon sign below. One neighborhood where it's definitely a tradition is our beloved Andersonville, Chicago. It's an old Swedish area, and we recommend hitting it up for Glögg-drinking at Simon's Tavern.

If you'd like to share some of your foreign grocery finds, we'd love love love to see them. Send 'em on over via email here and snack on, my friends.

[Photos: nenyaki & sweet_persimmon]