This Halloween, the threat of ghouls, goblins, or ax murderers pales in comparison to the terror of the following week’s presidential election. For me, the key to sustaining, and hopefully enjoying, either a trick-or-treat party or a long night of results and projections will be an old-style rum punch.
This recipe goes back centuries to the libations blended and shared in American taverns at the birth of our democracy.
Dave Wondrich distills the story in his book Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl. Punch has a blurry history, dating back to English naval exploits in the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean in the 17th and 18th centuries. No ship, royally commissioned or pirate, would set out without a serious provision of booze to placate the crew and the citrus needed to prevent scurvy on lengthy voyages.
The liquors of the day (rum, whisky, or brandy) were powerful and needed blending to be palatable. Inventive sailors mixed these intense spirits with sugar, citrus, water, or tea.
As ships traversed the globe, the drink landed in the Americas. Day drinking was standard in ye olde colonies. It seems some of our forefathers cavorted, toasted, and dreamed up a new country while three sheets to the wind. Ben Franklin wrote The Drinker’s Dictionary in 1737 with 200 ways to describe inebriation. A well-served gentleman had “Lost his Rudder,” or “Carried too much Sail,” or was “Stew’d,” “Stubb’d,” or “Soak’d.”
Back then, a blustery gray morning called for an “antifogmatic,” which consisted of a couple of shots of rum to cut the damp and get the day going. With the Cape’s early washashores, a motley mix of whalers, old salts, traders, and renegades, it’s fair to assume that punches flowed freely. I fantasize that everyone’s favorite pirate couple, Black Sam Bellamy and Maria Hallett, the so-called Witch of Eastham, fell in love over punch cups at the old Samuel Smith Tavern on Great Island in Wellfleet.
Drinking might be more American than apple pie. Early politicians, including George Washington, knew this was a persuasive strategy for getting out and winning the vote. Elections were holidays, and the privileged few (only white men could vote) were often well lubricated in celebration.
Washington, after graciously leaving office, became a whiskey distiller. Notes in his diary written in the 1760s sang the praises of the Laird family in New Jersey and their recipe for “cyder spirits.” Today, Laird & Company is still producing smooth-blended apple jacks and brandies. Adding it to an election day punch connects us to this history with its warm, welcoming apple notes.
When choosing ingredients for punch, it’s easy to go down a deep rummy rabbit hole. The preferred types are Navy-style, old-school Jamaican, or appropriately called Pirate Juice. As the names imply, they have maritime origins with a high alcohol content, over 58 percent alcohol by volume.
Such blends are rich with notes of coffee, molasses, and spice and the desired earthy funk known as “hogo” in the trade. Their potency suits them for dilution with citrus, water, or tea. The inclusion of tea is more than a revolutionary reminder — its tannins balance the sweet.
After blending a couple of punches with various rums, I was most impressed with Planteray O.F.T.D, a rum conceived and blended by Wondrich and a crew of punch enthusiasts.
Punch is history in a glass, a reminder of our beginnings and potential this election day. But this recipe is not merely a relic of the past; the spices and autumnal flavors make for a very quaffable drink ideal for large gatherings, including any of the upcoming holidays. Let’s hope we will all have something to be thankful for. Cheers!
ELECTION NIGHT (OR HALLOWEEN) PUNCH
Yield: 40 oz., or 10 4-oz. servings
1 cup spiced simple syrup; see recipe below
1 cup (8 oz.) Navy Rum (aka overproof rum) such as Planteray or Smith & Cross
½ cup (4 oz.) freshly squeezed lemon juice (don’t use the fake stuff)
½ to 2/3 cup (4 to 6 oz.) apple brandy
½ cup strong chai tea, chilled
1½ cups water
Ice, preferably in large cubes so they don’t melt too quickly
Garnish of dried or fresh apple slices
Fresh nutmeg for grating
Stir all the ingredients except the ice, apple, and nutmeg in a large serving bowl or pitcher. Refrigerate for at least an hour or two. When ready to serve, add ice and apple slices, then ladle into glasses or cups and top with freshly grated nutmeg.
SPICED SIMPLE SYRUP
1 cup raw cane sugar
1 cup water
4 to 6 black peppercorns
4 to 6 coins fresh ginger
3 whole allspice berries
½ cinnamon stick
Blades of mace, optional
Zest of 1 lemon, in wide strips
Combine all the ingredients except the lemon in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring just to a boil, then remove from the heat. Add the lemon zest. Cool. Can be made a day or two ahead.
