This weekend the focus of several news reports was the weather – both here and in Europe – and how it was affecting travel. This weekend marks the start of heavy holiday travel, and while the deep snows and bitter cold of last week in the Midwest and East have eased, much of Europe currently is experiencing similar conditions. Watching pictures of abandoned vehicles on snow-covered roads and folks bundled up against the cold instantly brought to mind one of my favorite recipes for this time of year. Cooking up a batch of this punch fills the house with spicy, citrusy aromas sure to clear a stuffy nose and warm the hearts and bones of those arriving home after battling the elements. All that vitamin C couldn’t hurt, either! Below is my holiday gift to you, a family favorite, multigenerational crowd pleaser and cure for the winter travel blahs. This is a half recipe – feel free to expand it if you’re expecting a lot of guests or a particularly nasty spell of weather. Enjoy!

Wassail Punch

1 gallon apple cider                                   1 quart orange juice                                      1 quart unsweetened pineapple juice          1 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed             1 cup sugar 5 small oranges 5 cinnamon sticks 20 whole cloves Cook the 5 oranges in simmering water for 10 minutes, then remove from heat. Meanwhile, pour remaining ingredients into a large cooking pot. Bring to a slow boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Put small knife point into the bottom of each orange and insert a cinnamon stick from the pot into each. Add several cloves to each orange. (You may need fresh cloves, as softened ones from the pot may be too limp to stick into the orange peel.) Skim remaining cloves from the punch. Pour a portion into a punch bowl, allowing remainder to keep warm on low heat. Float oranges in punch bowl. — Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor