Ti’ (pronounced “tea”) time for me is usually just before dinner. Drinking a Ti’ helps spur my appetite, or that’s how I justify it. It’s what is called an aperitif. In the French Caribbean they don’t bother to justify spurring their appetites; Ti’ time is before just about every meal, including breakfast. The Ti’ in question is actually called Ti’ punch, with Ti’ meaning tiny or “petit” in Creole.
Ti’ Punch ingredients
I’ve heard it said that big gifts come in small packages. The Ti’ punch is a good example of that. This little cocktail packs a hefty punch and might do a little more than spur your appetite if you aren’t careful.
The main ingredient for a Ti’ punch is Rhum Agricole Blanc from one of the French Caribbean Islands. Most accessible here in the States are the rums from Martinique. And I wrote about some of those in my post Neckbones Rum Diary: The J.M Incident. If you can get your hands on white rum from Guadeloupe or Haiti, I’m sure they will more than suffice in this recipe
Next you will need a small Old Fashioned or rocks glass.
To the glass you will add a few ice cubes. Not too many and if you prefer none at all, that’s fine too.
Take a thin wedge of lime, squeeze it lightly and drop it into the glass.
Fill a demitasse spoon, if you have one, with cane sugar syrup (brown only please). If you don’t have the demitasse spoon, drop in a quarter or half a teaspoon instead, depending on how sweet you like your drink.
In goes the syrup
Finally, pour two to three ounces of the Rhum Agricole Blance into the glass. Give it a mix with the spoon, or better yet, a little tropical mixer.
…and finally the rum.
How fast you would like to drink it is up to you. I don’t like to savor it too long, but neither do I like to down it like a shot. Somewhere in between is the desired rate of consumption.
Stir it and drink.
The only bad thing about Ti’ time is that it doesn’t last very long—unless you choose to take it into overtime.
Fried Neck Bones...and some home fries 
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