Summer is synonymous with celebration. Between the Fourth of July, block parties and rooftop soirees, it’s the time of year when the days grow longer and the invitation pile, taller. To keep things easy, and with revelry in mind, the Star-Spangled Punch was born. Citrus and star fruit add bright complexity to every glass, and bold, clean flavors are imparted by Chilean Pisco.
Chilean Pisco is a spirit created by distilling wine made from grapes grown in the Coquimbo and Atacama regions of the country, fed with water that flows from the majestic Andes, then rested for a minimum of 60 days before bottling. Its versatility is boundless and allows it to be discovered in a variety of expressions, whether served neat in a rocks glass, in highly curated cocktails or over ice in a punch bowl. Matching the year-round appeal of punch with the diversity of Chilean Pisco creates an ideal summer libation, perfect for any gathering under the stars—and, of course, fireworks.
Star-Spangled Punch
Ingredients
The peel of 3 lemons, each cut in a ½ inch/15 mm wide spiral with a vegetable peeler
¾ cup/180 ml sugar
¾ cup/180 ml fresh-squeezed, strained lemon juice
1 750-ml bottle Chilean Pisco
1 quart/1 liter cold water
1 star fruit
Procedure
Muddle the lemon peels and the sugar together and let sit for at least 90 minutes. Muddle lemon and sugar again and stir in the lemon juice. Add the pisco and the water and stir. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Before serving, cut star fruit into ¼ to ½ inch slices. To serve, pour into a 1 gallon/4-liter Punch bowl with a 1-quart/1-liter sized block of ice in it and float star fruit slices.
Serves 12 people.
