RED-WINE PUNCH

Red-Wine Punch image

Provided by Jacques Pepin

Time 20m

Yield Six cups

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 sticks cinnamon, crushed into pieces
24 cloves
Skin of 2 limes, cut into about 20 strips
3 cups water
1/2 cup good-quality honey (I use chestnut tree honey)
1 bottle robust, fruity red wine (Beaujolais, Spanish Sangre de Toro, zinfandel or Cotes du Rhone)
Small wedges of lime, for garnish

Steps:

Place the crushed cinnamon, cloves and lime-skin strips in a saucepan with the 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and boil gently for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to steep for 10 minutes. Strain. (You should have about 2 1/2 cups.) While still hot, stir in the honey.
Combine the lukewarm syrup with the red wine and transfer the mixture to wine bottles or large glass jars. Refrigerate and serve over ice with a small wedge of lime per serving.