The Spirit World

A hot punch like this is perfect for the holidays for a few reasons. First, it is an easy way to serve a crowd - in this case it fills 27 white wine glasses. Second, it is obviously warm so it’s perfect for the coldest days. And lastly, anytime you light a punch bowl on fire you have a spectacle people will be talking about. Two notes of caution: the heat-proof punch bowl is essential and you want to be cautious when playing with fire because nothing ruins Christmas faster than burning down the tree or the house.

English Christmas Punch

• 750 mL bottle dark rum
• 750 mL bottle dry red wine
• 3 cups strong tea
• 1 lb superfine sugar
• juice of 1 large orange
• juice of 1 lemon

1. Heat, but do not allow to boil, the wine, tea, lemon and orange juices in a saucepan or chafing dish.
2. Pour the heated mix into a heat proof punch bowl.
3. Place as much sugar as possible into a large ladle and any excess sugar into the punch bowl.
4. Saturate the sugar in the ladle with rum.
5. Ignite the rum and sugar in the ladle and pour it while still aflame into the punch.
6. Stir well and extinguish the flames.
7. Pour the remainder of the rum into the punch.
8. Stir well.
9. Serve in white wine glasses.

Part of The Spirit World’s Winter Wonder cocktail series.