Hannibal Week: Punch Romaine

Time to wrap up Hannibal Week–and there’s no better way to celebrate than with a cocktail.

I selected Punch Romaine,

Punch Romaine appears in the third episode of the third season. Hannibal and Bedelia host Professor Sogliato for dinner. He works with Hannibal, but doesn’t know that he’s dining with Hannibal, because Hannibal has assumed the identity of Roman Fell, another academic.

History lesson!

Punch Romaine was on the first class menu the night the Titanic sunk into the Atlantic.

Originally, Punch Romaine was served at fancy dinners as a palate cleanser between courses. It was a frozen sweet citrus ice–combining lemon water ice with Italian Meringue then topped with rum and champagne.

It makes sense that it appears as the fifth course between the lamb/duckling/sirloin course and the roast squab. I’d want a little bit of a break from that meat-a-palooza, too.

Punch Romaine has since been adapted as a cocktail. Here is the recipe from Feeding Hannibal:

1 egg white
2 oz white rum
2 oz white wine
1 oz simple syrup
2 oz lemon juice
2 oz orange juice
4 oz champagne or sparkling white wine

Shake. Strain into coupe glass full of crushed ice. Top with champagne.

I am not a huge fan of rum, but it was pretty much masked by the other ingredients so that worked for me.

Even without the meringue I thought that this was more of a dish than a drink–but that’s not a bad thing! This would be a nice way to end a meal.

Speaking of ending a meal…just as the Titanic’s voyage was cut short by that big ol’ iceberg, the character Sogliato peaces out early because of an ice pick to the temple–right after Hannibal served him a glass of Punch Romaine.

It’s time for me to bail, too.

Thanks for joining me this week both for the good and the bad.

Next week we will return to our regularly scheduled programming (Wiener Wednesday!!!), but in the meantime–the Hannibal reunion is tomorrow!