Scirocco Punch

This is a gentle-tasting but fully potent punch made with Cognac, maraschino, lime and nutmeg. It’s a concoction meant to celebrate the waning days of summer, the weeks before you put away the grill and pull out your sweaters. Pair it with savory grilled lamb and a salad, and you’ve got an end of summer feast.

Ingredients

• 4 lemons
• 8 limes
• 170 grams granulated sugar (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 750-milliliter bottle Cognac
• 6 ounces maraschino liqueur (about 3/4 cup)
• 3 cups cold soda water
• 1 whole nutmeg

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

    254 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 19 grams sugars; 0 grams protein; 15 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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12 servings

Preparation

1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove peels from lemons and 2 limes. Place peels in a pint-size Mason jar with sugar. Reserve peeled limes. (Save peeled lemons for another purpose.) Seal jar and shake until combined. Let sit for at least 3 to 4 hours and up to overnight, shaking occasionally. This allows the sugar to extract the oil from the peels.
2. Squeeze juice from both the peeled and unpeeled limes, then strain it. You should have 3/4 cup. (Save any extra juice for another purpose.) Pour juice into citrus-infused sugar, reseal jar and shake until sugar has dissolved; this is your shrub.
3. Fill a 1-gallon punch bowl or pitcher halfway up with ice cubes. Pour in shrub, including peels. Add Cognac, maraschino liqueur and soda water. Stir well. Grate 1/4 of the nutmeg on top and let sit for 15 minutes. Serve in 3- to 4-ounce portions.