Leo Robitschek of The NoMad Bar in NYC makes his perfect holiday punch with warming flavors of pear, cinnamon and citrus. Slideshow: More Fall Cocktail Recipes
How to Make It
In a small saucepan, cover the broken cinnamon sticks with 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat until reduced by half. Stir in the sugar until dissolved. Let cool, then strain through a fine sieve into a bowl; refrigerate until chilled.
Mound crushed ice in the middle of a large punch bowl. Using a long stirrer or spoon, slide orange and lemon wheels against the inside of the punch bowl, then push the crushed ice back to keep the fruit in place.
In a cocktail shaker, combine one-fourth each of the cinnamon syrup, Cognac, Belle de Brillet, lemon juice and triple sec; shake well. Add one-fourth of the Champagne and shake once, then add to the punch bowl. Repeat the shaking 3 more times with the remaining ingredients. Serve the punch in crushed-ice-filled glasses, garnished with cinnamon sticks and orange and lemon wheels.