A little Punchy There Rummy

About a month ago, we celebrated national rum day. You may recall that Benjamin Franklin had a whole dictionary to refer to drunk people. One term stands the test of time, and that’s “rummy”. Well, today, we celebrate another rum based holiday. It’s national Rum punch day. This, of course, begs the question: Are you feeling a little punchy there rummy? Maybe it doesn’t. But, we’re going with it anyway. Isn’t rum punch just a way to get kids to start drinking anyway? Fruit juice is what we ween kids on. So, adding a little rum is like a spoonful of sugar helping the medicine go down. But, rum punch predates the kid’s punch we all know now.

Like many drinks, British merchants trading in India brought punch to the west in the 17th century. Now, there are variations in pretty much every country. But, don’t confuse Rum punch with what American beverage producers call punch. Punch, here, refers to a sweet beverage that may or may not contain any real fruit (like Kool Aid). And, how many times have we seen the movie or show where kids at the high school dance spike the punch? What they are doing is making punch what it’s supposed to be: alcoholic. That’s how punch started and what made it popular with traders in Asia.

What’s making you A little Punchy There Rummy?

What the merchants came across went by the name paantsch. The variation we know has several possible origins. But, we like the thought that it was a bastardization of the Hindi word for 5, that sounds like Punch. After all, the original punch had 5 ingredients:

• Alcohol
• sugar
• Juice, usually lime or lemon
• Water
• Spices

So, the original Rum punch was safe to serve to large groups since it had a lower alcohol content than most other drinks. When Brits started writing punch recipes in the early 17th century, they often used wine as a base. But, with the colonization of Jamaica, Rum began to flow throughout Britain.

This makes sense since Indian and Asian variations usually used Arrack, which is a rum like liquor derived from coconut flowers, rice, and/or sugar cane. Modern producers use the term very loosely, though, with some variations taking on an anise flavor, and grape base, making them more akin to something like Metaxa or Grappa.

Then came Frat parties

Everything was fine with punch, Punch bowls and cups were invented. It became a traditional offering in many settings. But, then came college kids. They had giant parties where the punch bowl was replaced with a giant trash barrel, because… more is better. And, instead of adding water, they went in the opposite direction and made a stronger drink… with grain alcohol.

In Barbados, they have a rum punch called Bajan. And, the recipe made it into a rhyme of sorts: “One of Sour, Two of Sweet, Three of Strong, Four of Weak.” Sour would be citrus juice, sweet is sugar, strong is rum, and weak is water.

AS mentioned above, everybody has their own version now. Some are by nationality. But, in this day and age, every individual person does their own variation. So, recipes be damned. Do whatever you want with the guiding principle of citrus, rum, and sweetness.

How does the world do it?

We mentioned that there are multiple variations. And, there are different ways to serve it. In British colonies, they often heated rum punches. An early explorer of the East Indies tells the story of Sailors dropping hot cannon balls into the drink to warm it up. For the rest of us, though, it’s best on ice.

So, how does the rest of the world get a little punchy there rummy?

• Australia has a version, “Blow my skull” With Rum, Lime, sugar, and porter of all things.
• In the Caribbean there are multiple versions. Most start with Rum, lime, and cane sugar syrup. Some add spices like nutmeg. And, a ginger lime syrup called falernum may be employed (some of these syrups actually contain alcohol too).
• In England, They enjoy Cups, especially before a hunt. Their version often substitutes Wine or sloe gin for rum, add in fruit juice, and even sodas. Pimm’s cup is especially popular: A gin based lemonade with orange, apple, and cucumber, often garnished with a borage flower.
• Germans and Germanic Americans enjoy Punsch, fruit juices with spices, wine, and harder liquors, topped with sparkling wine. They even do a hot variation similar to a mulled cider, poured over a “sugar loaf”. for some occasions, they actually place a cup or layer of high proof rum on top, and set it on fire.
• India and it’s neighboring areas use Arrack, which is their version of rum, distilled from a variety of Plants.
• United States. Beside the insipid punch served at kid’s parties, we have the Planter’s punch: Pineapple, orange, lemon, and lime juices with graenadine, bitters, Curacao, soda, and cayenne, and of course rum.

So, which has you feeling a little punchy there rummy?

I think we’ve established that there are many ways to make rum punch. The question is: hot or cold? Heated versions are best left to The Winter holidays. Summer isn’t quite over yet. In my estimation, that means, keep it cool for now. In a couple months, you can go with the hot versions. For now, let’s think tropics.

Here’s an international variation incorporating flavors from India, Mexico, and the Caribbean:

• 2 oz lime juice
• 2 oz Lemon Juice
• 2 oz Orange Juice
• 2 oz Agave syrup
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 2 Oz Rum
• 2 oz Arrack
• 1 oz Triple Sec
• 4 Leaves fresh Mint
• 4 leaves fresh cilantro
• Fruit to garnish

Muddle the cinnamon, mint, cilantro, agave, with ice. Then stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve in a chilled glass rimmed with sugar. garnish with fresh fruit, and maybe even an edible flower.

Burrah!