There are many variations on the original Voodoo Punch recipe.
Punches traditionally have five ingredients: alcohol, spice, sugar, water and fruit. In fact, the word "punch" derives from the Hindi word "panch," meaning five. Voodoo rum punch was developed in southern Florida in 2001. It is named for its inventor and his venue -- a bartender named Voodoo Master, who worked at a tiki bar called Voodoo Lanai.
Voodoo Master's Punch
In a large punch bowl, mix together 2 qts. pineapple juice, 1 qt. orange juice, 1 liter light rum, 1/2 liter coconut rum, 6 oz. grenadine, 32 oz. club soda or seltzer water, and 6 to 8 dashes of Angostura bitters to taste. Add a large block or ring of ice -- it can be regular ice or ice made out of orange or pineapple juice -- as well as 12 to 16 slices of orange, lime or a combination. Serve immediately.
Voodoo Gold Punch
Many bartenders have their own variations on Voodoo Punch, that specify the brand or national origin of alcohol, or substitute ingredients. To make a gold variation on Voodoo punch, start with a large punch bowl and mix together 3 parts pineapple juice, 1 part orange juice, 4 parts Barbados rum, 1 part coconut rum and 2 parts Virgin Islands gold rum. Add splashes of grenadine, club soda and bitters to taste, and serve with a floating block or ring of ice as well as several orange slices. This variation is much stronger than the original recipe.
Spicy Voodoo Punch
For a more complex-flavored variation on Voodoo Punch, bring 2 cups of water, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar, a 3-inch piece of fresh ginger (peeled and sliced into thin pieces), 2 tbsp. of peppercorns, 1 tsp. allspice berries, and 6 oz. of cinnamon sticks to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the saucepan and let the mixture simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid and discard the solids. Allow the syrup to cool overnight. In a large punch bowl, mix the syrup with 750 ml of vodka, 750 ml of rum, 2 cups of orange juice, 1/2 cup of pineapple juice and 7 lbs. of crushed ice. Garnish with 10 lemon slices and serve immediately.
Voodoo Milk Punch
This fanciest variation on Voodoo Punch was invented by Brad Farran, from Brooklyn, New York. Bring 3 oz. of whole milk to a near-boil over medium heat, then remove it from the burner. In a mug or Irish coffee glass, combine 1 1/2 oz. of Ron Zacapa Centenario 23-year-old rum, 1/2 oz. of Market Spice tea-infused Smith & Cross Jamaican rum, 1/2 oz. of Benedictine and 1/2 oz. of demerara simple syrup (exactly like regular simple syrup, except made with demerara sugar, which is a raw sugar). Pour the hot milk over the top of this mixture and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.
Tags: pineapple juice, large punch, large punch bowl, orange juice, punch bowl, variation Voodoo, Voodoo Punch
