Strawberry Beaujolais

Description
Serving Suggestions: Spoon over: ice cream; pound or angel food cake; pancakes, waffles or French toast; fresh melon wedges; roast duck, chicken, goose or game hens.
 * Makes about 2 cups sauce

Ingredients

 * 1½ cups sugar
 * ½ cup water
 * ½ teaspoon nutmeg
 * 1 cinnamon stick
 * 4 black peppercorns, cracked
 * 2 whole cloves
 * 1 bottle (750 milliliters) Beaujolais wine
 * 2 pint baskets California strawberries, stemmed and sliced

Directions

 * 1) To make caramel: in heavy 2- to 3-quart stainless steel saucepan mix all ingredients except wine and strawberries.
 * 2) Place over medium-high heat and stir until sugar dissolves.
 * 3) Then cook without stirring until mixture is a medium amber color.
 * 4) Be careful not to burn (once mixture begins to color, it will darken quickly)
 * 5) Remove from heat and immediately pour in wine.
 * 6) Be careful, as mixture will boil up and spatter.
 * 7) Return saucepan to medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramel is dissolved.
 * 8) Then continue to cook until volume of mixture is reduced by one-third (you should have about 2 cups)
 * 9) Divide mixture between 2 large skillets; bring to boil.
 * 10) Add half the strawberries to each.
 * 11) Cook over medium heat until syrup is thickened and strawberries are transparent, 15 to 20 minutes.
 * 12) Cool.