Holiday Punch

A delicious drink, wonderfully spiced. Serve warm or chilled, spiked with rum or not.

Ingredients

4 cups water

1 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

14 whole cloves

4 cinnamon sticks

4 (1/2-inch) slices fresh ginger

8 cups apple cider

3 cups orange juice

1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 8 large lemons)

rum optional

orange and lemon slices for garnish

Honey Tips

Honey Bees Need Water

To keep their hives strong, beekeepers must place them in locations that will provide abundant nectar sources as well as water.

Directions

In a large saucepan combine the first 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let syrup cool for 1 hour.
Strain the syrup into a large punch bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients, except the rum and fresh fruit slices. At this point you can refrigerate the punch until ready to serve – up to 2 days.
When ready to serve, carefully reheat or serve chilled. Add rum if desired and garnish with fresh lemon and orange slices.
Serves: 8-10