flipThe Reserved Wine, Spiced with Date Honey and Pomegranate
The Reserved Wine, Spiced with Date Honey and Pomegranate
Why this dish? Among Behemoth's attributes is the cup of the great cupbearer, and Jewish tradition speaks of a "wine kept since the six days of Creation" (yayin hameshumar) that the righteous will drink at the banquet of the end of time, alongside the flesh of the great beast. This spiced wine, sweetened with date honey and brightened with pomegranate, is its echo at human height.
Red wine gently heated with date honey, pomegranate juice, and a stick of cinnamon. Warm, sweet-tart, fragrant—the festive cup offered to a guest. (Non-alcoholic version possible with grape juice.)
Hold out your cup, for no feast is held without the fruit of the vine. They say a wine sleeps, untouched, since the first days of the world, kept for the great day of the banquet—but meanwhile, here is mine. Warm the wine without boiling, melt in the date syrup, squeeze in the red pomegranate, and throw in a shard of fragrant bark. Drink it warm, slowly: it warms the traveler and loosens the tongues of guests. At the table where I will be served, this is how the cups are raised.
- •Red wine — one jug (fermented base)
- •Date honey (dvash) — a few spoonfuls (sweetness)
- •Pomegranate juice — one glass (fruity acidity)
- •Fragrant bark (cinnamon) — one shard (spice)
- •Water — a little, to cut (extender (ancient practice))
The Reserved Wine, Spiced with Date Honey and Pomegranate
Red wine gently heated with date honey, pomegranate juice, and a stick of cinnamon. Warm, sweet-tart, fragrant—the festive cup offered to a guest. (Non-alcoholic version possible with grape juice.)
Why this dish? Among Behemoth's attributes is the cup of the great cupbearer, and Jewish tradition speaks of a "wine kept since the six days of Creation" (yayin hameshumar) that the righteous will drink at the banquet of the end of time, alongside the flesh of the great beast. This spiced wine, sweetened with date honey and brightened with pomegranate, is its echo at human height.
Hold out your cup, for no feast is held without the fruit of the vine. They say a wine sleeps, untouched, since the first days of the world, kept for the great day of the banquet—but meanwhile, here is mine. Warm the wine without boiling, melt in the date syrup, squeeze in the red pomegranate, and throw in a shard of fragrant bark. Drink it warm, slowly: it warms the traveler and loosens the tongues of guests. At the table where I will be served, this is how the cups are raised.
Ingredients (period version)
- Red wine — one jug (fermented base)
- Date honey (dvash) — a few spoonfuls (sweetness)
- Pomegranate juice — one glass (fruity acidity)
- Fragrant bark (cinnamon) — one shard (spice)
- Water — a little, to cut (extender (ancient practice))
Ingredients
- Fruity red wine (or grape juice for non-alcoholic version) — 750 ml (base)
- Date syrup — 3 tbsp (sweetness)
- Pomegranate juice — 150 ml (acidity)
- Cinnamon stick — 1 (spice)
- Fresh pomegranate seeds — 1 handful (garnish)
Method
- Pour the wine (or grape juice) into a pot with pomegranate juice and the cinnamon stick.
- Heat gently over low heat, never boiling, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in date syrup and taste to adjust sweetness.
- Remove cinnamon, serve warm in cups, sprinkled with fresh pomegranate seeds.
How it was made : In antiquity, wine was almost always cut with water and often flavored with honey and spices to soften harsh or turning vintages. Wine held a central place at meals and feasts; the rabbis counted four cups at great banquets, and tradition preserved the image of a precious wine reserved for the messianic feast.
The contemporary twist : Served in a hammered copper cup, a long spiral of pomegranate peel as decoration: the "cup of the great cupbearer" modern-style, to offer to guests with a ceremonial gesture.
Sources : Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 34b (the wine kept since Creation) · Song of Songs 8:2 (spiced wine and pomegranate juice)
Behemoth · Charactorium
