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If you're looking for a Caribbean getaway in a glass, then you need to make rum punch. Just looking at this vibrant summer cocktail is enough to put a smile on your face; it's just the thing to turn your poolside gathering into a pool party. I arrived at the recipe below through extensive (delicious) research: a pleasingly balanced concoction made with dark rum, fresh fruit juice, bitters, simple syrup, and the tiniest drop of grenadine. It’s so wonderfully refreshing that I’ve been forced to enjoy it for a good couple of days, and now I’d very much like for YOU to enjoy it too. Keep reading on for everything you need to know:
Also known as Planter’s Punch, rum punch is a thirst-quenching, classic 17th-century Caribbean drink with disputed origins. As with most older recipes, there isn’t an exact formula, except for the core ingredients of rum, sugar, and lime juice. Rum itself is made from sugar cane, and there are endless varieties categorized mostly by color, each with its own flavor profile. Modern recipes are often made with multiple types of rum, syrup, and variety of fruit juices and grenadine. As for ratios, many of the old planter’s formulas call for the classic rhyme: “One of sour (lime), two of sweet (sugar), three of strong (rum), four of weak (water/ice/juice).”
Start by pouring into a cocktail shaker lime juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, simple syrup, angostura bitters, and rum. Then add in a healthy amount of ice—enough to fill the shaker—and securely fasten on your lid. Shake for about 20 seconds until you are dizzy and your fingers are really, really cold…well, almost. A good way to tell that the drink is cold enough is that the shaker should become frosty on the outside. What we are trying to achieve here is to both chill and dilute the drink for better drinkability.
Remove the top of the shaker and strain the liquid into a glass half-filled with ice. Rum punch is often served in either a hurricane or highball glass, but use whatever you have on hand! After pouring, add in the grenadine and stir lightly to combine and achieve the rosy color we are looking for. Garnish with your choice of fruit and mint and finish with a little dusting of nutmeg to be transported to that Caribbean getaway. Bliss!
The full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.
Without the ice, rum punch can be made a day ahead and kept cool in the fridge. Though this recipe is for a single drink, it can easily be scaled up. For a large batch, the punch should be stirred in a pitcher with lots of ice until most of it has melted.
simple syrup
dark rum (white is also fine)
pineapple juice (100% juice, not from concentrate)
fresh lime juice
fresh orange juice
dashes Angostura bitters
Ice
grenadine
Grated fresh nutmeg, for garnish (optional)
Orange and lime slices, maraschino cherries, and fresh mint leaves, for serving
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