Pondering Planter’s Punch
While reviewing an upcoming rhum, some embellishment on the bottle suggested its excellence in a classic Planter’s Punch, and provides a recipe:
- 1/3 Rhum
- 1/3 Orange Juice
- 1/3 Pineapple Juice
- dash of Grenadine
This got me to thinking a bit about Planter’s Punch.
The name itself is evocative, recalling the history of the five ingredient punch, as well as the planter… who was the proverbial Planter who would drink this potion on sweltering days spent under the sun. It’s a simple drink we all seem to know of, and maybe have heard a recipe or two. This seems to be a drink without origin, not attributed to any person in particular. In the late 19th century, the drink starts to appear in a few London periodicals, typically in reference to Jamaica or some parts of South America.
The earliest reference I could find comes from an 1878 edition of Fun, a satirical magazine published in London.
The next few references I found in my library have fairly similar concepts, albeit different names. In Modern American Drinks (1895), it is referred to as “Jamaican Rum Punch“, and by the time the Savoy Cocktail Book (1930) rolls around, it’s become the Planter’s Cocktail #2. Planter’s Cocktail #1 is a variation skipping the sugar and adding orange juice. Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide (1948) gives 4 variations, changing up the lemon to mostly lime, and with 3 of the recipes calling for grenadine. As we can see, the recipe starts morphing and evolving through the decades.
When looking to consider how drinks are being made nowadays, I like to reference the “Big Book of Dumb Drinks” (aka – The Bartender’s Black Book
Well, apparently the label makers for this rhum that so got me to thinking are of the modern school of this classic concoction, albeit keeping the proportions still very simple, a classy maneuver if ever there was one. I took a few sips and found their version, while quite sweet, rather refreshing, and certainly evocative of a more tropical clime than here in Portland, OR.
Do you have a favorite Planter’s Punch recipe? Have you tried a few? Found an early reference that asks for pineapple juice? Let me know in the comments!
Tags: jamaica, planter's punch
10 Responses to “Pondering Planter’s Punch”
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
-
-
03. Sep, 2009
[...] notes “Saint James Royal Amber can be sipped by itself, but is the special secret of a true Planter’s Punch: 1/3 Saint James Amber [sic], 1/3 orange juice, 1/3 pineapple juice, a dash of grenadine.” [...]
-
-
03. Feb, 2010
[...] own – this is a spirit made for mixing drinks. Traditional rum drinks like the Daiquiri and Planter’s Punch are perfect fits for Smith & Cross and showcase the rum perfectly. However perhaps my [...]
Blair, great find and great read, will have to make a single serving of this, and see how it is rubbing lemon juice and sugar together; i wonder if i am supposed to wear white gloves as i do so?
Here’s the recipe from Jeff Berry’s “Grog Log” that’s purportedly from Don the Beachcomber:
Don’s Own Planters
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz Soda Water (Club Soda)
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
1 oz Honey Mix (1 part Honey and 1 part Water)
1 1/2 oz Dark Jamaican Rum
1 oz Light Puerto Rican Rum
Shake with ice cubes and pour everything into Pilsner glass. Garnish with mint, cherry, and pineapple finger.
Speaking of rubbing, I’m in the mind to rub sugar cubes against lemons and limes to transfer the oils into the sugar before use in single-serving punches, Old Fashioneds, &c.
Craig,
That sounds like a capitol idea! With Fall coming on fast it’s time to turn our attention to Rye, Brandy, Punches, Manhattans, Old Fashionds, Crustas and the like!
Let me try this again, as my last comment vanished into the ether.
1) My earliest reference to the PP is the 1949 reprint of the 1935 Esquire Handbook for Hosts.
2) By 1965, Esquire’s Party Book had the recipe garnished with a pineapple spear, but no juice. (all of these were the famous 4-3-2-1 recipes)
3) Here is my fave: 3oz Myer’s, 1oz lime juice, ½oz lemon juice, ½oz grenadine, 2 healthy dashes of 2:1 SS
Let’s see if this comment actually makes it there…
The 1878 recipe is a simple play on the classic Barbados punch: One of Sour, Two of Sweet. Three of Strong, Four of Weak.
And well… that is probably the true origin of Planter’s Punch.
I’ve determined that we probably all have our own recipe for the perfect Planters Punch. Mine is a shot of Mount Gay Rum, a few dashes of bitters, 1/4 shot maraschino cherry syrup, and fill with Dole Pineapple/Orange/Banana juice. Yum dad-gum yum. I can drink them all day.
I used to have a great Planter’s Punch in the old Panama Canal Zone and have never experienced one since. Some recipes come close but none have the bit of Gallo wine as the finish at the top. Also, many don’t include what I call the mandatory Myer’s Rum.
I used to complain a lot so, my friend suggested that I just try to duplicate it so, that’s what I’m going to do.
Thanks for your blog and the good comments and add-ins.
P