Ti Punch

Serve in

Garnish:

The lime disc in the drink is garnish enough but also consider expressing a lime zest twist over the drink and then discarding.

How to make:

Traditionally the limes used to make this drink are not cut into slices or wedges. Instead, a round disc is cut from the side of the fruit. These are cut large enough that some of the fruit's flesh backs the peel of the disc.

POUR the rum and sugar into glass. Then SQUEEZE the lime disc between finger and thumb before dropping into the drink. This expresses the oil from the skin and little of the juice into the Ti'Punch. STIR and consider adding ice - either one or two large cubes depending on glass size, or preferably, a small chunk of block ice.

Review:

As the name suggests, Martinique's national cocktail is deliciously punchy – traditionally made with 50% alc./vol. rhum agricole. And, even if you choose to add ice, then dilution is negligible. However, the all-important sugar cane juice adds flavour and smooths the rum, so yes, it's punchy but it's also very pleasing to drink.

History:

Named "Ti", Creole for the French word 'petit', this is literally a small rum punch and unlike most rum punches, it is not lengthened with water or juice – and often without ice, despite the warm climate from where it originates.

It is the national cocktail of the French islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe where "Ti" is pronounced "Tee". It is also popular in Réunion, Maurice, Haiti, French Guiana and other French-speaking Caribbean islands. On these islands, it's often drunk straight without adding ice and chased by a large glass of chilled water (called a 'crase' in Martinique).

The earliest known written mention appears as a "yon Ti Punch" in an 1890 book, Two Years in the West Indies by Lafcadio Hearn who was a travel writer and recounts his time in Martinique.

Alcohol content:

• 1.1 standard drinks
• 29.06% alc./vol. (58.12° proof)
• 15.3 grams of pure alcohol