MealMap #78

A flaming punch, made and drunk as a ritual. A pomace brandy — a clear spirit distilled from the skins and seeds left over from winemaking — goes into a hollowed-out pumpkin or a wide clay pot with sugar, strips of lemon or orange peel and a handful of whole coffee beans; some add cinnamon or apple. It is set alight and burns slowly with a blue flame while more spirit is ladled in, the maker lifting the burning liquid high and pouring it back in long streams. As it burns, a spell is recited aloud to drive off the witches and evil spirits said to lie in wait for the drinkers. Gatherings of friends are the classic occasion, ideally after dinner in the dark, and above all on the "witches' night" of Saint John's Eve in late June. Its roots are traced to the pagan Celtic festivals of one north-western corner of its country.

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