One of Sydney’s favourite sons made it onto the small screen in the US this week. Papa Raj Nagra blazed onto mid morning Miami programming to make this 42 Below punch. I nice little number and there’s something truly grand about emptying three bottles into a punchbowl.
Hope it numbed the pain of the weekend’s results.
No, not really. This is a post about Punch, the community liquor that really is quicker.
Last night at the house of one of the men credited with the lyrics for Eye of the Tiger, 42Below rocked out, with the second Cocktail World Cup Challenge, the 21st Century Punch contest. The Americans came away with a win, serving up their punch in hollowed out mangosteens, topped with a passionfruit vodka ‘cloud’
I’ve got a recipe coming, but you’ll have to come back for that.
42 AND CLOUDY
42BELOW Honey
42BELOW Passionfruit
Sazerac Rye
white rum
brandy
NZ Sauvignon Blanc
passionfruit juice
Sencha green tea
fresh passionfruit
water
luxardo cherries
Lemon Juice
Champagne to taste
Serve with Passionfruit balls.
Other highlights of the night were getting a drink made for by both Chris Hysted, Australian Bartender of the Year & Jim Meehan, American Bartender of the Year.
While the Northern Hemisphere tilts away from the warming light of the sun, hot punch recipes are being dusted off. Some provide warmth, others exist solely to bring a tint of colour to the milky white skin of Englishmen.
Rejoice then, that you live in Sydney, where access to sun, surf, parks and beaches are plentiful and open to all.
As you head to any of these places, to meet in large groups or small, the default choice for refreshment is a six pack of coldies or a bottle of wine. I’d ask you to consider for a moment stepping outside of that norm and heading, replete, with a fine jar of tippling punch on your next park sojourn.
Punch was invented back when alcohol was so rough, punters only wanted to mask the flavour enough to get it down and start the glorious journey to intoxication, these days, punches in the summer or the winter showcase flavours of booze, fruit and herbacious additives. Experimentation is the key here, perfect punch is a very fluid concept, go with what’s fresh and match the flavours as best you can.
Punches are best described in ratios, as everyone will have a different sized jar, bowl or bathtub, depending on the size of one’s frivolity, and frankly your ambition.
My Summer Punch
Fill a preserving jar with ice and slide slices of lemons, limes and oranges down the side with a barspoon. Add 2 parts Tanqueray Gin, 1 part Lillet Blanc, 1 part pomegranate juice, 1 part cloudy apple juice, 1/2 part fresh squeezed lemon juice. Garnish with mint, think bush not sprig.
The walk or drive to the destination should provide sufficient mixing.
Enjoy, and feel free to share your own punch combos in the comments.
Everyday Drinking 