Ti Punch: History and Recipe

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Capn Jimbo
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Ti Punch: History and Recipe

Post by Capn Jimbo »

ti Punch: A Classic Cane Juice Rum Drink

In the interest of brevity, I'll defer to a French Site:
Though Martinique and Guadeloupe prepare this cocktail similarly, on Saint Martin and Saint Barth its ingredients depend mostly on the barman, though the basics are white rum, sugarcane syrup (or sugar, honey, etc), lime.

This is definitely the most well-known and beloved of all Antillean cocktails. Dosage of ingredients depends on individual taste, if you are a fan, you will soon find the mixture that suits you best.

Ti-punch tasting differs according to the hour: the day’s first ti-punch is called “take-off” or “petepied”. A light and modest one is referred to as a “ti-bete”, a “punch-fillette” (girl punch) or a “ti-feu”. If you are invited for a ti-punch, you will often hear the phrase “you shouldn’t stand on one leg” after the first glass, indicating that if you don’t want to lose your balance, you will need to drink a second one.

On Saint Martin, its ingredients and presentation depend on the community or establishment you are in, so don’t forget to tell the barman if you would like a traditional ti-punch.
Sue Sea and I will soon be tasting mixed drinks and will report our experiences with ti Punch and other classics. Following is a classic recipe for a Ti Punch...
Last edited by Capn Jimbo on Sat Feb 25, 2012 2:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Capn Jimbo
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It's really foreplay...

Post by Capn Jimbo »

Ti Punch... call it foreplay!


There is famous French saying in the islands where the ti' punch is the drink of the day: "‘...chacun prépare sa propre mort" which roughly means "...each prepares his own death". A quick visit to You Tube will find a goodly number of videos showing the ti' punch being made. A classic way of serving ti' punch is to supply whole limes, sugar or syrup, and a bottle of white cane juice rum (aka rhum agricole) so that each drinker prepares his own ti' punch to his or her own taste.

The making of a ti' punch thus becomes an extended bit of spirits foreplay as the drinkers socialize and laugh as they all assemble and stir their drinks. Indeed, it really is French foreplay.


A Classic Recipe

Since the preceding (old) post, we've actually had a chance to compare several white cane juice rums (aka rhum agricole for snobs) - the real basis for the "petit punch", aka ti punch.

If you search the net for "authentic" recipes you'll find that these vary widely, although the basic ingredients - white cane juice rum, sugar or syrup, and lime - do not. The classic French recipe is something like this:

1. Cut a circle of lime from the side of a fresh ripe lime. It will be mostly rind and less pulp. Squeeze the slice into a small glass, then toss it in.

2. Add about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of good raw sugar, and stir it in. Stir like a madman - like an iced tea, the sugar requires lots of agitation to dissolve completely.

3. Finish with 1-1/2 to 2 oz of white cane juice rum, and stir to combine. Barbancourt is excellent, available and a best buy. You may need to keep stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Although the classic recipe does not use ice, we find one or two cubes is perfect, especially if the rum you choose is one of the stronger ones (say 50%).


Bottom Line

It is amazing how many classic rum drinks use lime and sugar to various degrees. The ti' punch uses just a little of each, the Brazilian caiparinha uses much larger quantities. Think too of the mojito and daiquiri. Although the sparing classic recipe is listed above, you'll find some which use up to half a lime, and a full teaspoon of sugar. Any more than that and you're getting into caipariha territory. Some give their lime a gentle squeeze, while others will muddle or press the slice to release some of the oils in the rind.

Experiment, and feel free to modify your ti' punch.

The choice of the white cane juice rhum is also critical. Many of these are from 50 - 55% to punch up the flavor and are clearly sold as mixers. In a way cane juice rums were really made for these sweet and sour, refreshing drinks. You'll get some very different results too from your choice of blanc.

Barbancourt's 43% white is clearly the most sophisticated and smooth. Another great choice is Dillon at a punchy 55%. And both of these can sip well, as well (pun intended) - the Barbancourt neat, and the Dillon with a teaspoon of water. It doesn't hurt that both of these are also quite affordable, unlike the very overpriced Rhum J.M.

Remember, you can always add to the classic formula to find your own sweet/sour spot...
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