Ti-punch
A traditional cocktail
In today’s blog post, I am going to introduce to you the Ti-punch which is a combination of white rum, lime and cane sugar. In Guadeloupe Archipelago, there are multiple traditional rum-based cocktails as the rum is the national alcoholic beverage. The name Ti-punch, which means small punch comes from the fact that it is usually served in a shot glass.
When people, especially men are having a get-together and enjoy a Ti-punch they are calling it décollage*
*Décollage: I guess they consider it as a take-off because the shot itself is very strong. Needless to say that most of the time, they are not stopping at one shot.
The other famous name is sec*
*Sec: This name has two different interpretations. The first one is all about drinking the rum straight without the lime and sugar. The second one means drinking the Ti-punch in one sip called cul sec in French.
How to prepare a Ti-punch
To prepare a Ti-punch, you don’t need to have bartending skills as it is quite simple to make.
Ingredients:
- 6 centilitre of white rum (rhum agricole)
- 1 teaspoon of cane sugar or 1 centilitre of cane sugar syrup
- A lime wedge
Tools:
- A glass
- A teaspoon
Instructions:
Pour the rum in the glass, add the cane sugar/syrup then squeeze the lime wedge before dropping it in the drink. Stir the mixture with your teaspoon.
In Guadeloupe Archipelago, most of local bars and restaurants are serving you a small glass with some rum on a tray. In this same tray, they are also putting a small bowl of lime wedges and a cane sugar bowl/bottle of cane sugar syrup. That way, the customer can sweeten and prepare his drink according to his personal preference. If you are a first time Ti-punch drinker, you might want to add more sugar as white rums in the archipelago are at least 40°.
Most of the time, the weather is pretty warm in Guadeloupe Archipelago. That is why some people are adding ice cubes even though a real Ti-punch does not require this fourth element. The Ti-punch is a good way to enjoy the flavour of a punchy cocktail without altering the aroma of the rum. The contrast between the sharpness of the lime and the sugar cane are enhancing the savour of the rum.
Enjoying the cocktail in Guadeloupe Archipelago
Although I would recommend anyone to try a Ti-punch as it is the traditional alcoholic beverage in the archipelago. Men tend to enjoy the drink more than women. More than sipping a cocktail, having a Ti-punch is a ceremonial for lots of men. Usually, they love to stir it for quite some time before drinking it in one sip.
From the menu to any typical restaurant to the local bar, Ti-punch is part of everyday life in Guadeloupe Archipelago. When visiting a friend, it is often part of the welcoming drinks on offer.
