Groton Grog - A rum punch recipe inspired by life in New England
It was December 31st and Mr. Davis and I decided to enjoy a quiet night at home for New Years Eve. Out of the blue, my Mr. asked if I would create a cocktail for us to enjoy. I’m always up for a cocktail creation challenge (you can find more of my cocktails here), so I went into the kitchen and pantry to grab a few things.
Public Service Announcement: Below, I will be sharing how my brain works, while I create, and sometimes it is a bit scary and crazy in there. You may want to skip that section if you are a non-believer of imagination. :-)
Rum Punch Recipe Inspiration
After purchasing a couple of ship prints (one is seen in the background of the rum punch photos below), I thought - why not create a rum punch using ingredients found on a Colonial era sailing ship that has just returned to port after traveling all over the globe.
I kept this concept in mind as I searched our kitchen, pantry, and bar for ingredients. It was kind of like a treasure hunt of sorts and I was having fun with it. Many of my parties, events, and recipes are created using this “imagination story method”. Just like my not really French Theme French Brunch (I will link that here soon).
Rum, bourbon, citrus, and spice was placed on the kitchen counter. Let’s not forget a fresh batch of New England apple cider for a touch of tartness. Ship captains loved their New England apple cider! Okay, maybe not apple cider, but I’m pretty sure they preferred a mug or few of applejack.
HISTORIC FUN FACT: Applejack is a strong alcoholic drink produced from apples, that became popular in the American colonial era. The name derives from "jacking", a term for "freeze distilling", which was the traditional method of producing the drink.
Can you guess why I grabbed the peach liquor????? Wait for it….. My imaginary ship first stopped in Jamestown, VA before arriving in New England of course! Yes, I know, I had to reach for that one, but I wanted to add a touch of peach flavor :-).
HISTORIC FUN FACT: Peaches were noted by John Smith in Jamestown, VA as early as 1629
