Spicy Rum Punch Food

RUM PUNCH

Steps:

• Make a brown sugar simple syrup: Add the brown sugar and 1 1/2 cups water to a small saucepan. Stir to combine, then heat over medium and cook until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. (Makes about 2 1/2 cups.)
• While the simple syrup is simmering, juice the limes into a large bowl until you have 2 cups lime juice and pulp. Add 1 3/4 cups of the simple syrup, plus the rum, bitters and nutmeg; stir to combine.
• Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the punch into a large pitcher. Add 3 cups ice and stir until most, if not all, of the ice has melted and the pitcher is cool to the touch. (Taste the punch at this point and, if desired, add more simple syrup or lime juice.) If not serving right away, refrigerate up to 2 days.
• Serve in ice-filled rocks glasses. Garnish with grated nutmeg or a lime slice, or both.

SPICY RUM PUNCH

Steps:

• For the syrup, remove the skin from the oranges and lemons with a vegetable peeler and place the peelings in a large saucepan. Extract the juice from the oranges and lemons and add it to the saucepan with the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and boil gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine strainer and cool. You should have 2 quarts.
• For the punch, combine the punch ingredients in a large container and mix well. Transfer to gallon jugs, cover and refrigerate until serving time.
• For each serving, place 1/2 cup ice cubes in an old-fashioned glass and pour 1/3 cup of the punch over the ice. Stir well and serve.

SPICED RUM PUNCH WITH CITRUS AND LUXARDO

Steps:

• Fill 2 small freezer-safe shallow containers with 1 1/2" hot water and freeze until solid to make giant ice cubes, about 4 hours. (The bottoms of clean half-gallon milk cartons work great.)
• Combine both rums, grapefruit juice, orange juice, lemon juice, liqueur, simple syrup, and bitters in a punch bowl.
• Unmold ice (dip containers in warm water if needed) and add to punch along with citrus slices. Serve punch in 6-ounce glasses filled with ice.
• Do Ahead
• Punch can be mixed 3 hours ahead. Chill.

HOT RUM PUNCH

Steps:

• Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest of 2 lemons and the tangerine in strips. Drop into a large heatproof bowl (or use a fireproof bowl if you plan to set the punch on fire) and combine with sugar. Muddle together with a muddler, pestle or the back of a wooden spoon. Let mixture sit for at least 3 hours to infuse (or infuse overnight).
• Halve the tangerine and squeeze juice into a measuring cup. Halve lemons and squeeze lemon juice into the measuring cup to make 3/4 cup juice in total. (Save any unsqueezed lemon halves for another purpose.)
• When ready to serve, bring 1 quart water to a boil. Pour rum and cognac into the bowl with the sugar and peels. If you want to flame the punch, do so now; see note below.
• Add reserved citrus juice and boiling water and stir well. Grate nutmeg over top of punch and ladle into glasses.