09 Sep Pomegranate Rum Punch

I had some pomegranates leftover from a shoot recently and instead of a dessert, I decided to make something a little different – a cocktail! If you haven’t tasted a pomegranate before, they have a sweet, slightly tart flavour similar to cranberries or even cherries. Although buying pomegranate juice will certainly save you some time, juicing a fresh pomegranate means you can reserve a few of the seeds/arils to garnish your drink (they look like little gems!). And that you get to enjoy the beautiful bold pink colour at its best.! When combined with rum, ginger ale and a hit of fresh lime, you have yourself the most delicious, refreshing cocktail. I’ve definitely found my new favourite cocktail for summer. (By the way, have you heard that rum is the new gin?!)

Ingredients:

(serves 3)

125ml fresh pomegranate juice (½ cup)*
125ml white rum (½ cup)
45ml fresh lime juice (3 tbsp)
375ml ginger ale (1½ cups)
4 sprigs of rosemary
pomegranate arils and lime wedges to garnish
ice for serving

Directions:

• Add the pomegranate juice, rum and lime juice to a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain the mixture into glasses filled with ice.
• Top up each with ginger ale and garnish with lime wedges and rosemary sprigs. Serve immediately!
• Instead of rosemary, you could also use mint as a garnish.

*To juice a pomegranate, use a paring knife to cut out the “flower” of the fruit and remove, also removing the white pith just beneath it. Score the fruit vertically into quarters then using your hands, gently pull the pomegranate apart (it will crack into sections). Place the pomegranate sections in a bowl of water. Use your fingers to loosen the seeds from each section into the water. The seeds will sink to the bottom. Drain the seeds then place into a blender or food processor. Pulse the seeds a few times to break them apart and release their juice. Strain the pulp into a jug, pushing the back of the spoon against the pulp to draw out as much juice as possible. You will need 1 large pomegranate or 2 medium pomegranates for this recipe. Note that the juice can stain your skin and clothing!