Christmas Punch!

This rum punch is a great drink to serve at a Christmas gathering.  The recipe states that it serves ten people, but I guess it depends on how much Christmas "spirit" you need!  I bet Santa Claus wouldn't mind if you left a little for him on Christmas Eve, either.  He might need the caffeine that the tea provides!


David Wondrich's Rum Punch
The alcoholic fruit drink we know as punch is an Indian invention that was adopted in the 1600s by British sailors, who later introduced it to the Caribbean islands, where it flourished.

2 cups strong black tea (hot)
1⁄2 cup demerara sugar
1⁄2 cup fresh lime juice
2 cups aged rum (rhum vieux)
Fresh nutmeg

 1. Fill a medium freezerproof bowl with water; freeze.
2. Mix hot tea and sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved; refrigerate to let cool. Once the tea mixture is cool, add lime juice and rum. Stir well; refrigerate until ready to use.
3. About 30 minutes before serving, loosen ice from bowl and transfer to a punch bowl. Pour punch over ice and top with a generous grating of nutmeg.

Serves 10

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #98: http://www.saveur.com/article/Wine-and-Drink/David-Wondrichs-Rum-Punch