At Thanksgiving I planned on making a fairly traditional punch with lemon juice. My roommate joined us after all and she’s allergic to citrus. So….I improvised that morning and came up with an autumnal punch recipe that didn’t have any citrus at all. It went over pretty well with my friends and then noted skeptic and professionally awesome person Maria Walters made it for her guests and they loved it as well. When that happened it didn’t have a name, but then a name was provided by the elegant and amazing Jenna Marie Griffith: Apple Sauced Punch. Here’s how to make it:

• 750 ml aged rum
• 52 oz apple juice
• 60 oz hard cider
• 10 oz spiced brown sugar simple syrup*

Juice and cider are chilled. Mix all in punch bowl, stir, garnish with sliced apples and cinnamon sticks. The punch bowl was set in a larger ice-filled bowl to keep it cool all day.

* Warm and stir equal parts water and light brown sugar. Add WHOLE cinnamon stick, clove, and nutmeg to taste. Let it steep and cool with spices in for at least one hour. Strain and chill to room temperature.