Sea Captain’s Punch
This recipe was originally published in The Boston Globe in December of 2019.
In the olden days of coastal New England, a pineapple on the fence post was a sign of hospitality.* It meant the captain who lived there was back from his voyage, ready to regale the townsfolk with his stories. This punch is what I imagine he would have served, on a snowy December evening, with his community gathered around his hearth, pipe smoke in the air and cheer in their hearts.
* a brief note on the pineapple: this symbol, long revered in American and British culture has rightfully been identified as a symbol of the colonizer behavior that brought such tropical fruits to western places.
INGREDIENTS
10 oz. Cognac
10 oz. aged Jamaican rum
10 oz. Madeira wine
5 oz. peaty Scotch
5 oz. crème de cacao
5 oz. crème de banane
5 oz. fresh pineapple juice
5 oz. fresh lemon juice
5 oz. rich demerara syrup
5 cups brewed English or Irish breakfast tea, cooled
For ice ring and garnish:
1 pineapple, plus more if you’re making your own juice
4-5 limes
Nutmeg (whole), for serving
ABV LEVEL
YIELD: about 3 quarts, or 20 5-ounce servings
Morning before: Take an 8-inch metal cake pan (not a springform). Cut 4-5 limes into wheels. Cut top off pineapple (about 3 inches from top of “body” of fruit, leave fronds intact) and reserve. Remove peel from the rest of the pineapple and cut into circles (no need to core fruit). Layer the bottom of the cake pan with pineapple circles and place pineapple top in center. Then arrange a fanned layer of lime wheels around pineapple top. Slowly pour in water to fill pan until limes are nearly covered. Carefully place in your freezer. (You may have to make sure everything is in formation before closing freezer door.) Make a rich demerara syrup by mixing ½ cup water and 1 cup demerara sugar, such as Sugar in the Raw. Heat on medium and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Brew 5 cups (40 ounces) of black tea. Let both cool and store in fridge until ready to use.
Morning of: Assemble punch ingredients in a large, nonreactive container (one made out of glass or plastic or ceramic). Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.
Just before serving: Unmold your ice ring by putting the bottom of the cake pan in warm water until it begins to loosen. Pour assembled punch into your container (I used a 7-quart punch bowl) and place ice ring inside. Garnish with freshly-grated nutmeg and serve.
