Roman Punch

Roman Punch is a Victorian-era cocktail that was traditionally served between courses at formal dinners to cleanse the palate. Three ingredients, ten minutes, and you’ve got a slushy, boozy punch that’s halfway between a cocktail and a frozen dessert.

Lemon sherbet goes into a chilled bowl first, then rum gets mixed in slowly to loosen it up. The iced champagne goes in last and fast; you want to keep as much fizz as possible trapped in the slushy mixture. The final texture should be mushy enough to sip from a glass, not so frozen you need a spoon.

The champagne’s effervescence lifts the whole drink and keeps it from tasting like a boozy slushie. The rum adds warmth and depth against the tart lemon sherbet. It’s deceptively strong since the sweetness masks a full cup of rum plus a split of champagne.

Chef Tips

• Chill the mixing bowl in the freezer beforehand; a warm bowl melts the sherbet too fast and you lose the slushy texture
• Add the rum slowly while stirring; dumping it in all at once creates a pool of straight rum at the bottom
• Pour the champagne in just before serving; it goes flat quickly once mixed with the sherbet
• Serve immediately in sherbet glasses or coupes; this waits for no one

Variations

• Tropical version: Use mango or passion fruit sorbet instead of lemon sherbet
• Lighter: Swap the rum for limoncello for a lower-proof but equally citrusy punch
• Prosecco swap: Use Prosecco instead of champagne for a budget-friendly version with the same fizz