05/13/09: A Reason to Raise a Glass
Today in addition to giving you a drink to toast with I’ll give you a reason to toast; It’s World Cocktail Day. Today is the last day of World Cocktail Week and the day on which we celebrate the invention of the cocktail in America. According to my research this year is the 203rd Birthday of the cocktail. I’m not sure how accurate the dates and information are; it is pretty tough to pinpoint the inception date and when and where things really happened. It seems to be more of a widespread movement then a single definite A-Ha moment. But, none the less it is great to have a day to celebrate and nice that they picked a Wednesday instead of a weekend.
In honor of Cocktail Day I have designed a celebratory Champagne Punch. Seems incongruous to toast the cocktail with a punch; but who better to give your birthday toast then your father. This is one well established fact we can take from the lexicon of cocktail history, punch begat cocktails. The first steps of the recipe below, involving the lemon peel, sugar and hot water, is how you create the base for most old timey punches.
Cocktail Day Punch:
-18 oz. Spiced Rum
-4.5 oz. Orange Curacao
-3 oz. Creme de Cassis
-2 oz. Calvados
-4.5 oz. Hot Water
-1 Tbsp Sugar
-18 Dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters
-The peel of half a lemon without pith
-Champagne to top
Heat the water to boiling and allow to cool. While the water is cooling, in a punch bowl, muddle the lemon peels in the sugar until all of the oil is extracted. Add the hot water and stir until sugar is dissolved; fish out the lemon peels. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Chill in the refrigerator until it is time to serve. Add a large ice block to the punch to keep it cool. Serve in punch mugs; topped with 1 oz champagne. Serves 8.
