The Varnish's Milk Punch

This recipe makes a large batch.

Prepare the turbinado syrup by dissolving 1 cup turbinado sugar in 1.5 cups hot water; measure the listed 1.75 cup portion for the punch.

Use the peels from 6 of the listed lemons for the oleo-saccharum. Muddle them with the listed sugar in a bowl, cover and leave somewhere warm for a few hours or refrigerate overnight.

Juice the listed lemons and measure 1 1/3 cups lemon juice. Dissolve the oleo-saccharum into this juice.

Heat the listed milk in a large saucepan until steaming, stirring constantly, then remove it from the heat. Add the lemon-and-oleo mixture, measured turbinado syrup, cognac and rum.

Stir vigorously until the milk curdles and the clear liquid separates, then strain through cheesecloth.

Adjust with water or additional syrup if needed. Portion the strained punch for serving, warm or cold, and finish with grated nutmeg.