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Poncha
Sugarcane spirit with honey and lemon
Poncha: Madeira's sugarcane spirit stirred with honey and fresh lemon
In the fishing village of Câmara de Lobos, poncha is made to order at the bar counter: sugarcane spirit, honey and freshly squeezed lemon, whipped together with a wooden stick called a mexelote until frothy. Fishermen once drank it to keep warm at sea; now it goes round at every Madeiran festa. The traditional drink contains alcohol and is strong, so it is for adults only; the alcohol-free version swaps the spirit for chilled water, which turns it into a sharp, honeyed lemonade anyone can drink. Chef's tip: dissolve the honey in the lemon juice before adding the spirit or water, or it sinks to the bottom in a sticky lump.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 lemonsunwaxed, to give about 160 ml juice
- 4 tbsp runny honey
- ½ cup sugarcane spirit (aguardente de cana)for alcohol-free: 200 ml chilled still or sparkling water
- 8 ice cubes (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Pare 2 strips of zest from 4 lemons with a vegetable peeler, then squeeze the lemons. You need about 160 ml juice.
Step 2: Put the zest strips and 4 tbsp runny honey in a jug and press them together with a wooden muddler or the end of a rolling pin for 30 seconds, to release the oils from the zest.
Step 3: Add the lemon juice and stir until the honey has completely dissolved and the liquid is cloudy and even.
Step 4: Pour in ½ cup sugarcane spirit (aguardente de cana) (or the chilled water for the alcohol-free version) and twirl the muddler fast between your palms, or whisk, for about 1 minute until the drink turns frothy on top. A common mistake is using bottled lemon juice: poncha depends on the sharp, fresh lemon.
1 minStep 5: Remove the zest and pour into small glasses, over 8 ice cubes if you like. Serve at once.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 21 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does poncha take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lemons?
- Lime, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per lemon (no zest from bottled juice).
- What can I use instead of runny honey?
- Maple syrup or golden syrup, same amount.
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