Apologue At Home: Simple Persimmon Holiday Punch

As with most great cocktails, the original punch was brought into fruition by combination of thirsty sailors and barely drinkable booze. The story has it that when British sailors’ beer went flat from being held on ships in the warmer climates of India, they turned to rum to quench their thirst.

Rum of the day wasn’t as easy to drink as the rum of today. Thus, to combat some of the harsher flavors, the British sailors used the ingredients at hand; namely citrus, spices, and sugar, to make the spirit more drinkable.

Today, you can think of a punch as a combination of citrus (normally with the peel intact), sugar, spices, and occasionally alcohol, and/or tea. It’s a drink that’s normally made in large quantities, making it an essential for holiday parties and family get-togethers.

Keep it Simple

Punch doesn’t have to be complicated, particularly with the beautifully crafted spirits and liqueurs available today. This particular punch recipe take a bit of time to prepare, but very little actual active preparation.

Maceration with Sugar

The trick to a truly potable punch is to macerate (or steep) the lemon slices in sugar.

It’s quite simple, place your citrus slices in a mixing bowl and pour the appropriate amount of sugar on top (one cup for the above recipe), stirring at intervals to make sure that the sugar is soaking in all of the juice and oils from both the meat of the fruit and the peel.

The oils from the peel are the secret to giving you a depth of flavor that will make your punch difficult to stop sipping on!

Ingredients

4 Large Lemons, Sliced

1 Cup Organic Cane Sugar

2 Cups Apologue Persimmon

4 Cups Rum (we like Smith & Cross, Plantation 5 Year, or El Dorado)

1 Bottle Dry Prosecco or Sparkling Wine

Recipe

  1. The night before, in a separate bowl, pour the sugar over your sliced lemon. Stir until the lemon is properly coated in sugar and cover. Refrigerate overnight.
  2. Remove your citrus and sugar from the refrigerator and stir a few more times until the sugar is quite liquefied. Add the Apologue Persimmon and Liquor of Choice and stir again.
  3. Pour the liquid into a punch bowl and add ice. Before serving, top with champagne to brighten and lengthen the drink, as well as add a nice effervescence!

Garnish Tip

For an added flare and depth, consider adding a special garnish to each cup of punch poured.

Using an orange studded clove peel or igniting the end of a cinnamon stick will provide additional aromatics indicative of the season.

For a fresher aromatic twist, consider including sliced oranges to each glass.