Based on several Edwardian-era recipes, this produces a dark and sweet drink that hides most of the edge of the alcohol in it. It’s great for the holidays.
Many thanks to my good friend Cary “Frang” Sandvig for this recipe.
Ingredients:
16 oz fresh lemon juice (bodies reserved) ~10 lemons
32 oz sugar (preference for demerara or brown sugar, but white sugar will do.)
64 oz black tea, warm - strongly made.
48 oz rum (I used a large bottle of Orinoco - a sweeter white rum)
Process:
add tea, juice and sugar in container, stir to dissolved (2-3 mins)
add rum
add lemon hulls
stir and chill (about ~1 hr in ‘fridge)
strain to serve, serve cold or over ice
serve with fresh grated nutmeg (optional)
It makes a large pitcher or two of punch.
If storing the punch overnight, make sure to remove the lemon hulls as the rinds will impart a bitter flavor.
Options:
Vary the rum for your favorite flavor. Darker and sweet rums can work well in this.
Vary the citrus to use a mix including lime, or exclusively lime.
Spice the tea with mulling spices.
You can use purchased lemon juice, but I think the fresh lemons taste best.