Mexican Christmas Punch

We all remember the “pot luck” punches of college days. Well, the traditional Christmas libation of choice in Mexico is ponche, a warm, tropical fruit punch. Its preparation is taken much more seriously in these parts than the concoctions we’d throw together back then. Families throughout Mexico have their own guarded recipes and sidewalk vendors sell it by the glass. A glass of ponche heralds the holiday season.

Here at PuntaMita-Rentals, we have our own version. Luckily we live in the perfect location to pick up nice, juicy guavas, a key “tangy” ingredient for the perfect Ponche. “All good and well”, you say, “but, who wants a hot punch on the beach?” That’s where our years of partying have stood us in good stead. We have chilled ours, served it over ice in a fun glass and added a frozen slice of fresh guava. The perfect way to celebrate the Holidays on the beach – a tang of festive tradition, a tropical kick and an icy cold, refreshing reminder of what we are celebrating! PERFECTION!!!!!

Throughout the month of December, all our lucky renters will be able to try our tangy take on this wonderful drink with all the flavours of the Season. We will gladly share our little tradition with a complimentary jug in each home. Salud!

Want to try your hand at making it yourself? Here’s our favorite punch recipe.

Mexican Christmas Punch

Adapted from How to make ponche, the traditional Mexican Christmas punch at the Mija Chronicles.
Makes about 3 1/2 quarts
Note: If you don’t have piloncillo, you can substitute brown sugar. If you can’t find sugar cane, just leave it out.

The amount of water depends on how thick you like your ponche. Once the fruit starts to cook, the mixture will thicken — feel free to add more water to thin it out. Ponche also reheats beautifully on the stove, thinned with a little water. It will keep in the fridge in an air-tight container for at least a week.

To cut piloncillo: Grab the thick end of cone and slice with a knife. It’ll require some force on your end, but it should work. (The piloncillo should not be so hard that you can’t cut it.) You could also try scraping it along a box grater. Don’t put the cone in the food processor, or it might break your machine.

Ingredients

2 1/2 to 3 quarts water* (see note)
2 cinnamon sticks, about 6 inches long
8 ounces tejocotes, left whole
6 guavas, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 mild-flavored apples (not Granny Smith), peeled, cored and cut into bite-size pieces
2 four-inch pieces of sugar cane, peeled and cut into thin strips
1/2 cup pitted prunes, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup dark raisins
5 long tamarind pods, peeled and seeded, or three tablespoons of tamarind pulp without seeds
6 to 8 ounces piloncillo or dark brown sugar (about one average cone)
Rum, brandy or tequila (optional)

Directions

Bring water and cinnamon sticks to a boil in a large pot. Add the tejocotes and lower the flame. Cook over a slow, rolling boil until the tejocotes are soft, about five minutes.

Remove the fruit from the pot, let cool and then peel the skin off with your fingers. (It should come off easily.) Cut the tejocotes in half, and remove and discard the seeds.

Once they’ve been peeled and de-seeded, place the tejocotes back into your pot of cinnamon-water and add the remaining ponche ingredients. Stir to combine and let simmer for at least 30 minutes. If you’re adding alcohol, pour it into the pot right before serving time.

To serve the ponche, remove the cinnamon sticks and ladle directly into mugs, making sure to include the chunks of cooked fruit. The strips of sugar cane can be served directly into the cup, to suck on after you’re finished drinking.

Bon vivant, gastronome and all-around great guy – Miguel Neves de Carvalho brings you the best of what Punta Mita and the surrounding area have to offer. His passions include polo, horse riding, rugby, cigars and most recently … golf.

Miguel lives in Punta Mita with his youngest son, his fiancée, Lisa, and his two dogs “Tanqueray” and “Tonica”.

He started Punta Mita-Rentals in 2012.

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Photography by Kemi Vernon. See more of her work at www.kemivernonphotography.com

Drink photos taken at Four Seasons Villa Pelicanos