“Deliciously Trashy”
Getting Down with Peachtree Punch 2.0
Movin’ to the country
From the Aku Aku, we had natural peach liqueur. From Tradewinds, we had SC Coconut Cream. The next logical step was to marry the two. So we took a trip back to 1995, cranked The Presidents of the United States of America’s self-titled album, and drank us a lot of Peachtree Punch 2.0.
But first we had to find fresh peaches.
Peaches come from a can
Finding fresh peaches in Tucson in October is not easy. After coming up empty at Fry’s and Whole Foods, we finally found organic yellow peaches at Sprouts. They were a little on the firm side, but alas, we were not spoiled for choice.
The only ingredients left to procure were oranges and whole nutmeg, and the search was no trouble. The nutmeg came in a pouch of four, which we think will be enough to get us through the project and perhaps the rest of our lives.
We had the rest of the ingredients (lemons, SC Coconut Cream, seltzer, natural peach liqueur and №2 rum) ready to go; however, our supply of Plantation 3 Stars was alarmingly low. Not wishing to forego it completely (#SentimentalSchmucks), we blended it in equal parts with Mount Gay Eclipse, which provided additional color to an otherwise pale concoction.
Putting it together
There was nothing left to do but juice and chop and muddle and pour and mix and double strain and grate.
Verdict
Peachtree Punch 2.0 is nothing if not wholesome. With the refreshing properties of a mimosa and barely a whisper of rum taste, this is very much your grandmother’s exotic cocktail. We found ourselves at the bottom of our glasses slightly buzzed but with no recollection of how we got there. This places it squarely in Tradewinds territory; however, while black blended rum gives Tradewinds a kick in the drawers that we have come to enjoy, Peachtree Punch 2.0 flies completely under the radar, rum-wise. It would be interesting to try the recipe again with something a little more potent — or add a bit of black blended overproof? — to see how it sits.
Obligatory food & beverage blogger fun facts
Peachtree Punch 2.0 is, as the name suggests, a Smuggler’s Cove upgrade from the original Peachtree Punch from Trader Vic’s. Once extremely prolific across the United States, Trader Vic’s now has only 17 locations globally, 10 of which are in the Middle East.
Only two North American locations remain in Emeryville, Calif., and Atlanta, Ga. Martin Cate calls Trader Vic’s Peachtree Punch “deliciously trashy” in this article in Atlanta Magazine from August 2019.
Makers’ Notes
- A riper peach is probably ideal for this recipe. Not only is it easier to muddle, but it will likely lend more peach flavor and sweetness to the drink.
- A navel orange produces about two ounces of juice. If you are doing this manually, as we did, this recipe is not ideal for scaling unless you derive satisfaction from juicing oranges.
- Ditto, each drink calls for chopping and muddling half a peach, and additional peach wedges are needed for garnish. This is laborious and also not ideal for scaling for punch, especially if you’re buying peaches at upscale Sprouts prices.
XOXO,
Kevin & Hazel
