CT in Style – A Connecticut-based lifestyle blog.
Planter’s Punch Recipe
With the kiddos getting out of school this week, the unofficial start of summer is finally here! The weather is warming up and as soon as it gets above 80° I know it is time to get into beach mode and enjoy the many benefits of living on the Connecticut Coastline with the Long Island Sound as our main playground! This week, I buy our beach pass, re-wash all our beach towels to get them nice and fluffy, wipe down beach chairs and get out the beach bags, flip-flops and straw hats. I do a quick inventory of the garage where we store the beach items (umbrella, boogie boards toys, buckets and shovels) to make sure we are well stocked for body boarding and sand castle building.
Another important part of my pre-summer preparation is doing an inventory on our coolers. We have the traditional hard sided coolers, but lately, I have been purchasing soft coolers. Soft coolers like the Yeti Hopper M30, can hold ice and drinks, and have straps to make carrying it a breeze. Most of the soft cooler models have both a hand and shoulder strap, so you can tote it just like a handbag. The cooler is an essential piece of summer gear for packing snacks and beverages to take to the beach and I want to share a couple drink recipes that the whole crew can enjoy.
Growing up in Jamaica – which is widely known for making some of the finest rum in the world – Planter’s Punch was one of the cocktails that was served often when my parents entertained. I brought this tradition with me to the States and started bringing this delicious fruity concoction with me to the beach. When the kids saw how pretty and tropical it is, I began making it two ways. I realized that without the rum and cointreau I have all the ingredients to make a Mocktail for the kids that resembles a “tropical” Shirley Temple. Below are the recipes – enjoy!
Planter’s Punch Recipe
PLANTER’S PUNCH RECIPE
Fill a glass halfway with ice and to get the ombré effect, layer the ingredients in the order listed below:
1 tsp cointreau (orange flavored liqueur)
1.5 oz Appleton Rum
.5 oz grenadine
1 cup pineapple juice
.5 freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice
Splash of Ginger Ale (optional)
Fresh limes and maraschino cherries to garnish
TROPICAL SHIRLEY TEMPLE RECIPE (Mocktail)
Fill a glass halfway with ice and to get the ombré effect, layer the ingredients in the order listed below:
.5 oz grenadine
1 cup pineapple juice
.5 freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice
Ginger Ale
Fresh limes and maraschino cherries to garnish
