Posted by johngl
The history of classic cocktails is always a bit fuzzy and numerous people and places lay claim to the original Planter’s Punch. They are all wrong.
The published history of Planter’s Punch dates all the way back to the late 1800’s in the West Indies. In case your history is a bit fuzzy as well, the West Indies are that collection of islands in the Caribbean that our buddy Chris Columbus landed upon in 1492 — and where he subsequently subjugated the entire native population. In his infinite wisdom, he thought he’d landed just west of India. He was wrong, too (in oh, so many ways).
The truth is, nobody knows the history and it doesn’t really matter anyway. It could have come from sugar plantations where the cane was distilled into rum and citrus juices were added. Or, it could have come from the grave diggers who planted the dead planters and celebrated the death with a concoction of rum, citrus, and pineapple juice.
You know, just use what grows around you.
I found some of these items growing on my liquor cart and the rest were growing in my fridge.
