Food and drinks writer Fiona Beckett makes a dramatic recipe that involves a bottle of flaming port called Bishop for our reporter Simon Parkes.
Winter drinks recipe: Bishop
An old English drink that dates from the middle ages. Flaming the port creates a lovely warming spicy flavour
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1 medium-sized unwaxed orange
8-10 cloves
1-2 pieces of star anise (optional)
1 x 70cl bottle ruby or vintage character port
Unrefined caster sugar to taste
Method
1. You will need a medium sized saucepan with a lid and a metal ladle.
2. Stud the orange with the cloves, halve it and place it in a medium-sized saucepan.
3. Pour over the port and add the star anise if using. Bring slowly up to simmering point and leave over a very low heat for 10 minutes for the flavours to infuse.
4. Warm a ladle over the gas or a long cook’s match.
5. Take half a ladleful of port and tilting it slightly towards the gas flame let it catch light (or light it with a match).
6. Carefully lower the lighted port into the saucepan. The rest of the port should catch light. Let it burn for a minute then put the lid on the pan to extinguise the flames.
7. Pour in 250ml of water, stir and reheat gently.
8. Sweeten to taste with 2-3 tsp of unrefined caster sugar and serve in small heatproof cups or glasses.
