Witches’ Brew

 

Witches’ Brew

Ingredients

For spice syrup

2 cinnamon sticks

5 whole cloves

3 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup sugar

A chilled 25.4-ounce bottle sparkling cider (about 3 1/4 cups)

A chilled 1-quart bottle cranberry juice cocktail

A chilled 1-liter bottle club soda or seltzer water

1 cup dark rum if desired

For serving:

Ice blocks in any shape*

Preparation

Make spice syrup:

In a small saucepan bring syrup ingredients to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Cool syrup. Syrup may be made 1 week ahead and chilled, covered.

In a punch bowl combine remaining ingredients and strain syrup through a fine sieve into punch. Stir punch and add ice blocks. Makes about 13 cups.