Copywriters’ Kitchen Cocktail Hour: West Indies Lime Mint Rum Punch

It’s Friday—time for Cocktail Hour at Copywriters’ Kitchen. Today we’re serving West Indies Lime Mint Rum Punch, inspired by my Trinidadian mother-in-law.

Trinidadians need little no excuse to gather together friends and family for “fêtin’”—partying.

West Indies Lime Mint Rum Punch is a tall, cool variation of the traditional rum punch my mother-in-laws’ people serve in tiny glasses—refilled over and over and over.

To make West Indies Lime Mint Rum Punch you need to first concoct a simple syrup infused with lime and mint. You can make the syrup ahead. Make in quantity if inviting West Indian friends.

When ready to fête, simply mix the syrup with San Pellegrino water or club soda and serve. For festive presentation, it’s fun to serve West Indies Lime Mint Rum Punch in a punch bowl. Otherwise use tall glasses.

West Indies Lime Mint Rum Punch

1 cup lime juice—about eight limes
4 tablespoons finely grated lime zest
1 cup fresh mint leaves, stems removed and chopped fine
1 cup sugar
¼ cup water
1 quart San Pellegrino water or club soda
1 cup rum
Thin slices of limes

1. Juice the limes and remove seeds but don’t strain pulp—it adds extra flavor.
2. Grate lime zest, being careful not to include white pith. You’ll need about 6 limes to make 4 tablespoons of zest.
3. Remove stems from mint, wash well and spin in salad spinner. Chop fine.
4. Combine lime juice, zest, mint leaves, sugar and water in saucepan over medium-low flame.
5. Bring to simmer, turn off flame. Let syrup steep for at least two hours—but no longer than four hours or it will become bitter.
6. Strain syrup into glass container, pressing mint leaves into strainer to extract full flavor. Cover syrup and store in fridge until ready to use.







7. To make a punch bowl, pour syrup into bowl and add rum. Slowly add the bottle of San Pellegrino water or club soda, stirring carefully to incorporate water but not diffuse soda bubbles. Float lime slices on top. For a very impressive presentation add an ice-ring.
   
   
   To make individual glasses of punch, add 2 jiggers of syrup and one jigger of rum to a tall 12-ounce glass. Add ice cubes to top of glass and fill with San Pellegrino water or club soda. Stir gently, garnish with thin slice of lime and serve.

Serves 10 using punch cups and 6-7 using tall glasses.