Houston bartender Bobby Heugel riffs on Bombay Government Punch, a recipe from the early colonial era of India. He adds Earl Grey Tea and kaffir lime leaves to his oleo-saccharum -- a mix of citrus oil and sugar that many bartenders consider an indespensable ingredients in punches. Slideshow: More Easy Cocktail Recipes This recipe originally appeared in the Food & Wine 2016 Cocktails book.
How to Make It
In a bowl, combine the tea and lime juice with the oleo-saccharum and stir to dissolve. Strain the liquid into a punch bowl.
Add the gin and Batavia-Arrack to the punch bowl, fill with ice and stir well. Stir in the club soda and garnish with the lime wheels, rosemary sprigs and lime leaves. Serve with chilled punch cups or rocks glasses.
Notes
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest in strips of 2 lemons and 2 limes, preferably organic. Transfer the zests to a shallow medium bowl; add 4 kaffir lime leaves and 2 rosemary sprigs. Add 1 cup sugar and muddle the ingredients until the zests begin to release their oils. Push the zests to the sides of the bowl, cover and let macerate overnight. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.