Queimada - Galician Fire Punch

Queimada  - Galician Fire Punch

Equipment:  aluminum steel pot with metal lid, long metal spoon, long ladle, gloves, vegetable peeler

Ingredients

12 lemon or orange peels

4 cups orujo

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons whole coffee beans

6 cinnamon sticks

2 to 3 star anise, cloves - optional

Add sugar, coffee beans, peels, cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves to pot. Pour in orujo.  Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Turn off heat.  Stand back away from the pot and using a long ignition lighter, set on fire. Allow the fire to burn until the flame turns blue, about 3-4 minutes. Then cover the pot with a lid to extinguish flame (if the flame gets too high, use the lid to extinguish flame immediately). Once fire is out, ladle into glasses and serve hot.

Traditionally this drink is made outdoors over an open fire in a fireproof clay pot or hollowed out large pumpkin.  This recipe has been adapted for indoor kitchen stovetops.  *****Please use extreme caution when lighting the orujo (keep a safe distance) to be protected from any flare ups.*****