Recipe: South Pacific Islands Rum Punch

South Pacific Islands Rum Punch

125 to 150 servings
(ideal for that "large" luau or "Millennium Party")

12 bottles light rum
12 bottles dark rum
2 pounds raw or dark brown sugar
5 whole vanilla beans
6 dozen oranges
6 dozen lemons
6 limes
6 large grapefruit
10 ripe bananas
2 ripe pineapples
6 bottles dry white wine, chilled
15+ gallon container (see Notes)
orange, lemon and lime slices for decoration (optional)

Pours rums into container. Add sugar and vanilla beans. Stir until sugar is
dissolved. Cut the citrus fruits in half. Squeeze juice into the rum; then toss
in the shells. Peel and slice the bananas. Peel and slice the pineapple. Add
banana and pineapple to rum. Cover container and let stand in a cool place for
two to three days. Stir several times during each day. On the day of the
celebration, remove pulp, vanilla beans and citrus rinds. Pour rum mixture over
ice in a large punch bowl and let chill for a few hours. Just before serving add
chilled white wine. Decorate bowl with sliced citrus fruits and float a few
slices in the punch. If you don't have a large punch bowl, add ice to the
container; let chill. Add wine just before serving - float citrus slices in the
punch.

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Notes: I recommend a new 15 gallon plus plastic garbage can
with cover. Wash and rinse well before using. A new canoe
paddle makes an excellent stirring device. (The bonus is
they can be saved and used for this again, or can be used
for their original purpose.)

DO NOT USE a metal container (unless it is stainless steel).
Due to the interaction of the rum and citric acids on metal
- it would ruin the punch with a metallic flavour and the
dissolved metals could poison your guests.