Grole


A grole is a multi-spouted, and often ornately carved, wooden bowl with a small lid. Groles are always round and relatively shallow, with an interior capacity for liquid proportionate to the number of spouts.
Traditionally, a grole is used to serve a hot drink, comprising a base of black coffee to which are added a variety of liquors. The liquors added depend on whatever is on offer from the bar, cafe or restaurant serving it. Sometimes several choices of liquor-combinations are available, sometimes only the "house speciality". What comes to the table is, however, invariably hot, delicious and, alcoholically speaking, deceptively strong.
This typically potent concoction is usually shared between 2 and 10 people, with the number of spouts on the particular grole matching the number of imbibers. Each person has his or her "own" spout from which to drink, with each taking a mouthful before passing the bowl to the person next to them. This passing-on ends with the person who gets to take the last mouthful.
The bowl is local to the Savoy region of France and is usually available and enjoyed during "après-ski" or after dinner - especially one of fondue or raclette.
The typical making of a grole is, per person, a cup of coffee, a small glass of liquor and 2 spoons of sugar. The coffee is poured first, then the liquor is slowly added as to not mix with the coffee. The alcohol is then inflamed using a spoon of sugar ignited with some liquor, as for drinking flamed absinthe, adding a caramel flavor to the mixture. The very hot liquid is sipped one person at a time, thus alcohol vapors are inhaled in the process.