The Franklin Stove

It's called a Franklin Stove because it's a Colonial-style drink and it keeps you warm in the winter.

THE ONLY DIFFICULT PART OF THIS RECIPE is caramelizing the sugar. Heat the sugar gently to melt it, stirring frequently. Cut the heat when it gets darker brown, before it burns. If it starts to foam, get it off the heat immediately and slowly pour in some of the cider to cool it. NOTE: Melted sugar is much hotter than boiling water so be careful about splashes.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ Cups white sugar
• 4 Cups apple cider (unfiltered)
• ¾ C. rum, or brandy
• juice of ½ lemon or lime
• 1 lemon — thin round slices
• kettle of boiling water
• 2 tsp ginger
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp cardamom
• pinch cloves
• pinch black pepper

NOTE: for all spices, use fine-ground.

Caramelize the white sugar in a thick-bottomed sauce pan over a moderate heat. Stir regularly and don't let it burn. Turn heat to low once all the sugar is melted. There will be a little smoke anyway. When it approaches the dark brown of maple syrup, take it off the heat, and...

Add the apple cider — carefully. The sugar is hot, so there could be spattering. The caramel will harden when the cool cider is added.

Heat until the cider simmers and the caramel has completely dissolved.

Add the spices and stir thoroughly

Add the lemon and/or lime juice.

Scatter the lemon slices on top

Simmer gently for at least ten minutes (or move it to a pre-heated crockpot for serving later).

Ladle the mix into large mugs.

Add a shot (1 ½ ounces) of rum to each mug and serve. If it's too sweet, add some hot water, to taste.

Serves 4.

DRINK HEARTILY and discuss topics in science and liberty.