Mulled Wine: A Nose-Warmer

Note: For the lemons, Meyer lemons are a good size. But if larger lemons of another variety are what you have on hand, use 2 instead of 3, and they will be fine, too!

You will also need:
1. A heavy-bottomed pot large enough to hold the wine and Cognac.
2. Cups with handles for serving the wine. The photo pictures the wine in punch cups without handles but in reality this wouldn’t be wise.—the wine is hot.

For the mulled wine:
1. Score the lemons lengthwise and cut them into thin rounds. (A photo illustrating this step is on the related link.) Set the lemon slices aside.
2. Add to the pot the wine, Cognac, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Bring them just to a bare simmer, stirring, over a medium low flame, to dissolve the sugar, and continue simmering gently for 2 minutes.
3. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the lemon slices and serve the wine in cups with handles.

Recipe adapted from one that appeared in the December 1994 issue of Gourmet.