Frame Recipe: Jaz’s Party Rum Punch
From the almost undrinkable college jungle juice, to that fizzy, fruity concoction that your aunt makes for every family party with frozen limeade, Sprite, and a block of sherbet, there is something undeniably fun about a shareable punch. The fellowship of banter as you linger around the punchbowl spans the holiday party, the work gathering, the patio, and the dining room.
While recipes for communal inebriation have been documented as far back as the 1600s, there’s no way to trace the when, where, or by whom origins of how punch was invented. It is known, however, that punch was created before the column still. Column stills are frequently used to make delicate spirits known for their lightness and purity (think: gin and other white spirits). So in order to stay true to the fuller flavor pot still origins of punch spirits, this recipe is rum-based.
A good rum punch will have a few key elements: the spirit, the sweet, the spices, and the dilution. I chose Diplomatico rum because it is a deeply delicious dark rum all on its own. Papa’s Pilar would also be a good substitute. Why the water? Because if you were shaking the cocktail, you’d be diluting it as well as chilling it. If we’re just serving it on ice, then we need to do the diluting ourselves.
— By Jaz’min Weaver
Ingredients
1 bottle (750ml) of Diplomatico Reserva rum
3 oranges
1 cup of sugar
3 cups of water
Nutmeg
Directions
1. Peel the oranges.
2. Add the sugar to a large bowl. Using a muddler (or the back of a spoon or a pestle), crush the peels into the sugar. The oils from the peel will start to express themselves and wet the sugar. Allow to sit for between 30-60 minutes.
3. Juice your skinless oranges and strain the juice. Stir the juice into your oleo-saccharum (that’s what you just made with the sugar and the peels!). You can discard the peels if you’d like, or save them for garnish.
3. Add the entire bottle of rum.
4. Add 3 cups of water.
5. Grate some fresh nutmeg on top and serve over ice*.
*If you want to go the extra mile, you can make your own ice block. Take the punch bowl you intend to use and fill it ⅓ of the way with water. Add citrus wheels or edible flower petals and allow to freeze overnight. Remove the ice from the bottom of the bowl, add your punch, and replace your ice. The larger block will melt slower than traditional ice cubes,keeping your dilution levels from skyrocketing, and it adds a cute, handmade touch to the visuals of your punch bowl.
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