Drink: Painful Punch

Recipe by /contributors/scott-beattie This punch was originally inspired by a sangria recipe I learned from my friend David Hanna. More flavorful and higher in alcohol than your average sangria, this punch uses inexpensive wine from Spain. My two favorit

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health benefits of Painful Punch

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

3 whole nutmeg pods
3 tablespoons whole allspice berries
3 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
2 quarts orange juice
2 quarts pineapple juice
12 (750 ml) bottles Spanish red wine
1 (750 ml) bottle VSOP Cognac
1 (750 ml) bottle Myers dark rum
1 to 5 cups simple syrup to taste
10 oranges, sliced into wedges

Instructions

PLACE the nutmeg pods in a cloth napkin and break them into pieces with a hammer or other blunt object. Combine the nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon in a large stainless steel saucepan over medium heat. Follow the instructions on page 20 to toast the spices until aromatic, about 5 minutes. Add the juices and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mixture is reduced by one-third, about 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer or chinois into a container large enough to hold all of the punch. Discard the spices.
Add the wine, Cognac, and rum, and stir well. Add the simple syrup 1 cup at a time until the tannins are tamed. Add the orange slices, cover the container, and place in the refrigerator to chill. To serve, transfer the mixture to a large glass punch bowl with a ladle. Serve the ice on the side.