Pablo’s Punch Recipe

Prepare strawberry puree

Hull and quarter 1 pint (about 2 cups) fresh strawberries. Place in a blender and puree until smooth. If you prefer a very smooth texture, strain the puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds. Yield: about 1 cup.

In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine 2 cups Cruz Coconut rum, 1/2 cup Crème de Banane, 3 cups fresh pineapple juice, and 1 cup strawberry puree. Stir gently to integrate the liqueurs and juices.

Add 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice to the punch to brighten flavors. Taste and adjust.

If additional sweetness is desired, stir in up to 1/2 cup simple syrup (start with 1/4 cup and increase to taste). Mix thoroughly so syrup dissolves evenly.

Cover and chill the punch in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, ideally 2–3 hours, to allow flavors to marry. Do not add ice while chilling to avoid dilution.

About 10 minutes before serving, add 6 cups of ice to the punch bowl (or keep ice in a separate bowl for guests to add to individual glasses). Fold in 1 cup pineapple chunks and 1 cup fresh strawberry slices so fruit chills and slightly macerates in the punch.

Garnish with mint sprigs if using. Serve the punch in glasses over additional ice as desired.