Flanders' Planter's Punch

Stir White Rum, Bourbon, Cassis, Simple Syrup with ice. Strain into a rocks glass.

I decided to reverse-engineer another cocktail from "The Simpsons," specifically Ned Flanders’ Planter’s Punch from Season 2's episode, “The War of the Simpsons.” In this early episode, despite his later conservative stance on alcohol, particularly blackberry schnapps, Ned serves Homer a potent concoction that nearly ruins his marriage. The episode provides more clues about the ingredients than with other drinks like the Flaming Homer/Moe. When Homer complains there’s no alcohol in it, Ned reveals it contains “three shots of rum, a jigger of bourbon, and just a dab-a-roo of crème de cassis.” Assuming one shot equals an ounce, this translates to 3 oz of rum, 1½ oz of bourbon, and half an ounce of crème de cassis. Given the episode’s setting around 1991, the citrus element is likely in the form of a sweet and sour mix. Making your own with fresh ingredients involves combining two parts simple syrup, two parts lemon juice, and one part lime juice. The recipe I crafted includes 3 oz white rum (Plantation 3-Star), 1½ oz bourbon whiskey (Wild Turkey 101), ½ oz crème de cassis (Gabriel Boudier), plus 3 oz of homemade sour mix and 3 oz club soda. This version meets the criteria from the episode: it’s both tasty and surprisingly potent. What started as a quirky nod to a thirty-year-old cartoon might become a regular in my cocktail rotation.

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