Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
“Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you”—here I opened wide the door;—
Darkness there and nothing more.
From The Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe
The Raven’s Nip
1 cinnamon stick
4 cups apple cider
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup Sparkle Syrup [1] (shake well first)
1 750ml bottle dry white wine (pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc), room temperature
⅓ cup brandy
Sliced apple garnish (optional)
Heat the apple cider and cinnamon stick in a pot on the stove and simmer for five minutes or until the cinnamon is fragrant in the air. Remove from heat and add lemon juice, Sparkle Syrup, white wine and brandy. Stir to combine and then serve in punch cups or wine glasses. Garnish with an apple slice if you like. This recipe serves 10 but you can scale it down as necessary for a smaller group.