Cherry, orange, clove, aromatic
Break out the molasses cookies and board games.
This fragrant Victorian punch starts with roasted citrus fruit and includes both red wine and port for a rich, warming drink. Famously mentioned in A Christmas Carol—it’s Scrooge’s conversion drink—this is a perfect libation for after the theater or for a Dickens-themed dinner. Plus, roasting the fruit will make your house smell incredible. Note that this drink needs twenty-four hours to steep, and it’s best to use unwaxed, organic fruit.
1 bottle (750 ml) medium bodied red wine
1 bottle (750 ml) ruby port
4 oranges
1 ruby red grapefruit
35 cloves
½ cup (100 g) sugar
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash the citrus, and place them whole on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast the fruit until it begins to brown, about 1 hour. Cool the fruit until it’s just warm enough to touch, then use a paring knife to make 7 incisions in each fruit so that you can insert a total of 35 cloves.
Stack the fruit in a pitcher, jar, or small stock pot. Add sugar, then wine. Some of the fruit may be exposed. Cover and let sit in a warm place for 24 hours (the oven works well).
After the fruit is done soaking, remove it with tongs and place it on a plate. Cut the oranges and grapefruit in half, then squeeze the juice through a sieve into the wine. Transfer the wine mixture to a stockpot on the stove. Add the port. Heat, but do not boil. Serve in warm mugs or goblets.