Red Summer Punch

If you close your eyes and take a deep breath, you can almost taste the tantalizing flavors of summer dancing in the air. There’s a certain electricity, a palpable energy that courses through the veins of this day. The solstice approaches, and we find ourselves at the precipice of the best season of the year. And what better way to celebrate this auspicious occasion than with a cool beverage that embodies the essence of summer itself—Red Summer Punch? Raise your glasses and toast to the joy of summer and to the camaraderie of good company. Try this excellent recipe for Red Summer Punch for your feasting table, and perhaps make more than one version of it, changing out the variety of fruit you use, and the spice you add to your simple syrup preparation.

Red Summer Punch and Juneteenth

Red Summer Punch, with its vibrant hue, holds a deep symbolic connection to Juneteenth celebrations. The color red in this refreshing beverage is traditionally associated with the resilience, sacrifice, and strength of enslaved Africans and their descendants. This red color also recalls the bloodshed and struggles on the path to freedom. Serving red drinks like this punch at Juneteenth gatherings is a powerful way to honor the ancestors.

Red Summer Punch

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• Author: Keith Recker

Print Recipe

Description

Refreshing and the perfect ode to Juneteenth!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 cups hibiscus tea, brewed very dark, and chilled
• 1 cup gin infused with hibiscus tea
• 1/2 cup cherry cinnamon simple syrup (or strawberry clove or raspberry allspice)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1 tsp orange bitters

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Instructions

For simple syrup:

1. Bring 2 cups water, 2 cups sugar, and 2 cups dark, sweet cherries (raspberries or strawberries) to a boil with two cinnamon sticks (or one tbsp of whole cloves, or one tbsp of whole allspice)
2. Let boil for 4 minutes.
3. When cool, strain into a jar and chill.

For hibiscus-infused gin:

1. Place 4 hibiscus teabags in a large mason jar with a fifth of the gin of your choice.
2. Let sit for at least 24 hours.
3. Remove tea bags.

For the cocktail:

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1. Mix all the ingredients in a pitcher jar. Pour into tall glasses packed with ice. Sip slowly.

Recipe and Styling by Keith Recker 
Photography by Scott Goldsmith

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