Miel Picante

• For the Garnish
• lemon↗1⁄2
• apples, slices such as Honeycrisp↗12
• lemon slices12
• slices jalapenos↗12
• - to 2-inch flower-shaped cookie cutter
• For the Punch
• spicy honey3⁄4 cup
• pressed cider↗1 gallon
• fresh lemon juice↗8 ounces
• aged rum↗1 bottle
• aromatic bitters↗1 ounce

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Fill a medium bowl halfway with cold water. Squeeze in the juice of half of a lemon and stir; set aside. Use cutters to make flowers in apple slices. Use both slices and cut outs from slices as garnish. Submerge in lemon water prevent browning until ready to use.

2. 2

   Combine punch ingredients in a Dutch oven. Heat on medium-low heat until warm. Reduce heat to very low to keep warm or reheat punch as needed.

3. 3

   Ladle warmed punch into small mug or Irish Coffee mug. Be sure to ladle in apple flowers, lemon wheel, and jalapeno slice as well. Serve.