Mulled White Wine with Pear Brandy

Ingredients

• 2.3 inch thick ginger fresh
• 3  cardamom pods green
• 3 tablespoons honey to taste
• 0.3 cup pear brandy such as poire williams
• 4 slices asian pear 
• 1 piece star anise 
• 750 ml off-dry white wine dry grüner

Equipment

• frying pan
• sauce pan

Directions

1. Put the wine in a medium heavy saucepan with the star anise, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and honey (start with 3 tablespoons and adjust later if necessary). Set the pan over medium heat and bring just to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and let the wine mull for at least 15 minutes.
2. Taste and add more honey if you like. Gently reheat the wine until it starts to steam, then turn off the heat and stir in the brandy.
3. Divide among 4 mugs or heatproof glasses, putting a few of the whole spices in each mug if you like, and add a slice of Asian pear. Toddy away!
4. Reprinted with permission from The Food 52 Cookbook Volume 2 by Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, © 2012 William Morrow