Jasper's Ghost
"Mr. LeFranc was well over six feet, white hair, very dignified, very formal. He'd been there forever. He didn't drink!" This is how the late Stephen Remsberg described thebartender of the Bay Roc Hotel in Montego Bay. Mr. Remsberg, perhaps one of the most avid rum collecters in the world, brought back Jasper's recipe in 1972, and we've been blessed with his famous rum punch ever since.
Hello my thirsty readers, and welcome to our own winter of discontent. If there were ever a time, when I would love to warm your heart with a refreshing tipple, I believe this would be such a time. Apparently, among the latest notes of facism we are expected to just accept, we have been told to stop celebrating diversity, even so much as "canceling" certain holidays and observances. Incase you've been disconnecting to preserve your mental health, here's a short list of things we are not supposed to celebrate anymore: Juneteenth, MLK Day, LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Holocaust Rememberance Day, and Black History Month.
Well, I for one have no intention of listening to what our leathery, senile, old groggy one has to say. Aside from the fact that everything from music, food, beverage culture, science, you name it, has been strongly pioneered and advanced by these marginalize communities, this is such an act of extremem hate, we can not adhear to such nonsense. To kick off Black History Month, I thought what better way to raise a glass, than a drink inspired by storied Afro-Caribbean bartender Jasper LeFranc.
If you're an avid tropical drink lover, there's a good chance you've come across either Jasper's Jamaican or Jasper's Rum Punch in your search for rummy libations. First, you have the Jasper's Jamaican, which appears to be the quick version of the punch, without the need to make Jasper's Stock, or "LeFranc Mix," consisting of sugar, nutmeg, lime, and bitters. The second, is Jasper's Rum Punch, which seems to be the one most people take an interest in replicating. Both drinks became well-loved favorites at Montego Bay's Bay Roc Hotel.
Designed by famed architect, Edward Durrell Stone, the Bay Roc Hotel opened on the third day of 1953. Consisting of 66 rooms and 25 cottages, the hotel was advertised as being an ultra-modern world of enchantment. Early in the life of the hotel, LeFran began plying his trade for visitors from all over the world. Often seen as one of the more vibrant characters of the era, Jasper often wore brightl white linen suits, making him all the more theatric in his mixing of original drinks. He everntually became the head bartender fo the Bay Roc, becoming the first person of color to achieve such a position in any major resort in the Caribbean. He caught the attenion of many guests, including famed barman Vic Bergeron, creator of Trader Vic's. Before long, Jasper became as much of an attraction as the hotel itself.
Since Mr. LeFranc is no longer with us, I wanted to dedicate this punch, on the first day in February, to this pioneering gentleman behind the stick. I combined elements of his famed punch into a clarified version, hopefully worthy of the man himself.
Jasper's Ghost
1 quart Unaged Jamaican Overproof Rum
1quart Lime Juice
1quart 1:1 Simple Syrup
2oz Angostura Bitters
2oz Crème de Cacao
1quart Whole Milk
Combine all ingredients, minus milk, and mix well.
Add Milk, allowing to break and separate.
Filter with Coffee filter and chinois strainer.
Wait….
Serve 4oz punch in DOF glass over ice.
Garnish with pineapple frond, dehydrated lime, and nutmeg
Note: be sure to allow the punch to strain through the milk curds, and do not try to force or stir the mixture faster. These types of punch are all about patience.
Even when times look quite grim, we have to find what brings us joy. I can't do much to help all of my friends around the world in person, but I can try to share a little info-laden drink talk, with hopes we can connect and forget, even if it's just a moment. I'll be here my most thirsty readers, and I'll keep the drinks coming, once again. In times like these, we all need an escape. Until next time, stay angry, and keep shaking
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