Name: Regent Punch
Total time: 2 h
Yield: Makes 16 cocktails
Ingredients: 4 oranges, plus orange slices for garnishing; 4 lemons, plus lemon slices for garnishing; 1 cup sugar; 4 teaspoons green tea leaves; 16 ounces boiling water, plus 12 ounces chilled water; 12 ounces brandy; 3 ounces aged rum; 3 ounces Batavia arrack; 2 ounces maraschino liqueur; 12 ounces (3 cups) ice cubes; 1 (750-ml) bottle sparkling white wine, chilled; 1 ice ring (see “How to Make an Ice Ring”); Freshly grated nutmeg for garnishing

Why This Recipe Works

This luxurious punch—with its sparkling wine, brandy, and nutmeg—is in a style that would be served during the European upper crust’s parties in the late 18th century, emphasizing the wealth and social standing of the host. Luckily for us, whole nutmeg and tea no longer break the bank, and this delicious punch can be enjoyed by us commoners.

Before You Begin

We prefer the higher quality of loose-leaf tea here; however, 4 tea bags can be substituted.

Instructions

Using vegetable peeler, remove zest from 4 oranges and 4 lemons in strips, removing as little white pith as possible. Toss zest with 1 cup sugar in large bowl. Using potato masher, mash zest and sugar vigorously until mixture is damp, clumpy, and very fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Place 4 teaspoons green tea leaves in 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Add 16 ounces boiling water and let steep for 4 minutes. Strain tea through fine-mesh strainer into zest mixture and stir until sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Set aside until cool, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, juice enough oranges to yield 10 ounces juice and lemons to yield 4 ounces.

Stir orange juice, lemon juice, 12 ounces brandy, 3 ounces aged rum, 3 ounces Batavia arrack, and 2 ounces maraschino liqueur into zest mixture until combined. Strain through fine-mesh strainer set over large container; discard zest. Stir 12 ounces (3 cups) ice cubes and 12 ounces chilled water into punch until fully melted. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour. (Punch can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.) Just before serving, transfer punch to punch bowl and gently stir in 1 chilled bottle sparkling white wine. Add ice ring and garnish with orange slices and lemon slices. Serve in chilled punch cups, garnishing individual portions with grated nutmeg.