French West Indian Rum Punch

’Ti punch (short for petit punch) is the most elemental of the French West Indian rum drinks—sipped with equal enthusiasm at casual cook shacks and tony restaurants. To partake of ’ti punch properly, the drinker squeezes the lime in the drink, then stirs it to dissolve the sugar. Some people add an ice cube or two, but most Guadeloupeans sip it straight.

Some versions call for the suavity of cane syrup, but most of the ’ti punch I had in Guadeloupe consisted simply of rum, lime, and