Martha Washington’s Rum Punch

Martha Washington’s Rum Punch.Today’s recipe is a superb rum punch. This is not “any” rum punch but Martha Washington’s… or to be precise: my own version of the punch Lady Washington, the first American First Lady, used to serve at official dinners and parties in New York and Philadelphia, as well at her Mount Vernon state in Alexandria, Virginia…At Mount Vernon, the first presidential couple had a rum room and also a rum cellar… cool people, don’t you think? And there is more: did you know that Mount Vernon was named after Vice Almirante Edward Vernon, the man who introduced the grog to the Royal British Navy?That only tells us how fond of rum the American founding fathers were… Rum played an important role in colonial life. It was socially and medically consumed as well as used as a trading commodity… and of course the fashionably dressed and wealthy Lady Washington, who took entertaining seriously, used to serve it as a concoction with citruses and spices. Her Rum Punch was one of her husband’s favorite drinks.To the wonders of rum! Happy Birthday George Washington!