Mr. Tingles' Punch

A sophisticated party punch featuring Sichuan peppercorn-infused rum, pomegranate juice, and fresh citrus. This vibrant cocktail serves a crowd with a delightful numbing tingle from the Sichuan peppercorns balanced by sweet and tart flavors.

12 servings
48 hr 15 min

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle light rum
  • 2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns
  • 25 ounces pomegranate juice
  • ounces fresh lemon juice
  • ounces simple syrup
  • 4 ounces water
  • 1 block ice block
  • 20 wheels lemon wheels
  • ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
  • 1 tablespoon black and pink peppercorns

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    At least 24 hours before you plan to serve the punch, fill a Tupperware or cake pan with water and freeze to make an ice block that will fit in your serving vessel, or make several trays of large ice cubes.

    1440 min

  2. 2.

    Meanwhile, make the infused rum: Carefully spoon Sichuan peppercorns directly into the bottle of rum, using a funnel if desired. Reseal the bottle and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours, jostling occasionally to move the peppercorns around. Strain the infused rum through a fine-mesh strainer and discard peppercorns. If not serving immediately, return the infused rum to the bottle using a funnel and store in a cool, dark place for up to 3 months.

    1440 min

  3. 3.

    When ready to serve, combine entire bottle of infused rum with the measured pomegranate juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, and water in a large punch bowl. Stir well to mix and carefully add the ice block. Garnish punch bowl with lemon wheels, pomegranate seeds, and peppercorns if using. Ladle into ice-filled punch glasses and garnish each glass with a lemon wheel.

    15 min