MxMo XLVII: Punch

Warm thanks to Mike at Hobson’s Choice for a theme for Mixology Monday that’s a personal favorite. The thought of punch makes me smile. It makes my eyes light up. It makes my mouth water. If you saw me like this with a knife in my hand, you’d probably run in terror unless I was holding a lemon in the other. Punch!

I have a sense of déjà vu cuz my January MxMo post was a punch too. But that one was a tiki, and this is more of an 18th- or 19th-century punch, at least in general outline. Here I use aquavit for the base, and a flavorful one, North Shore Distillery Private Reserve. It’s a great spirit—slightly funky and a lot of fun. The distinct cumin note works surprisingly well in punch.


Aquavit-Blood Orange Punch

• 2 parts Aquavit (North Shore)
• 2 parts black tea (English Breakfast, steeped 3 minutes)
• 1 part blood orange juice
• 1/4 part lemon juice
• 3/4 part simple syrup (1:1) or to taste

This recipe is given in parts: make an individual glass or expand for a jug. I guess you could do a bowl, though that’s a ton of blood oranges.

For an individual glass of punch, combine everything in a shaker with ice. Stir briskly and strain into a chilled glass with a stem.

For punch in quantity, refrigerate everything in advance and combine in a jug. Keep chilled until serving. Serve in suitable glasses or punch cups with a little ice.

Rowen, Fogged In Lounge