Mulled Wine

This is just the thing to serve at a party on a shivery night. Add the Earl Grey tea for more of a lemon lift and to make the wine less alcoholic.

8 fluid ounces white rum
Pare rind of 2 lemons
  
(in two spiraling pieces if possible)
2 lemons with strips of rind
  pare away decoratively, and studded
  with 20 cloves per lemon
2 Bottles white Chardonnay wine
sugar to taste (about 1/4 cup)
2 cups hot Earl Grey tea

Put the sugar in the punch bowl and pour the rum over it. Add the lemon rind and the clove-studded lemon to soak in the mixture for at least an hour.   Just before serving, make the Earl Grey tea and heat the wine just under the boiling point.  Pour the wine, then the tea into the punch bowl.  Makes 16-24  small glasses.
 

 2010  Nathan Krämer  Blair, Nebraska   http://www.nathankramer.com/cookbook/