Plantation Punch

Punches began as communal drinking experiences with participants doing their part to finish a large bowl of liquor, juice, wines and often spices. Soda and American individualism gave rise to single serving punches like Planter's Punch. The Planters/ Plantation punches make no apology for agrarian slavery that they ironically seem to romanticize. The rum and fruit are native to the southern United States and Caribbean islands where plantations and planters would have supplied ingredients to landlords. This cocktail is more Louisiana, than Caribbean with the inclusion of Southern Comfort.

You don't taste the rum as much as the Southern Comfort and the sweet wine notes of ruby port in the Plantation Punch. As far as garnishes go, there's less to worry about than with the Planter's Punch. This saves a little prep time but the drink itself is very rewarding and more flavorful than Planter's Punch. I think of it as a deluxe version that offers more "comfort" on a hot afternoon in Louisiana.

• 2 oz. dark rum
• 1 oz. Southern Comfort
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. ruby port
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• club soda
• lemon slice
• orange slice

Muddle brown sugar in a little club soda inside a shaker. Add rum, Southern Comfort, port and lemon juice and shake with ice. Pour into a highball glass or beer mug. Top with soda and stir gently. Garnish with fruit.