Dickens drinks punch

Christmas is a time for parties… sharing, gift-giving and more parties. If you want to impress your friends with a delicious libation they won’t soon forget, look no further than the classic punch! Punch is just a general term for a wide assortment of drinks that generally contain fruit or fruit juice. Since they do not necessarily need to contain

alcohol, you can easily create festive and seasonal drinks appropriate for all ages, and because you make them in large quantities, they are perfect for parties where your time is better spent hosting your guests than constantly making drinks!

Origins of the drink can be traced back to India where it was later introduced to England in the early seventeenth century by sailors and employees of the British East India Company. The word punch is derived from the Hindi word panch (meaning five). Traditionally it was made with five ingredients: alcohol, sugar, lemon, water and tea or spices. After that it spread like wildfire throughout the rest of Europe. Originally it was made with a wine or brandy base, but around the mid 1600s Jamaican rum came into use and the

modern punch was born.

Below are a few favorite recipes. Feel free to adapt or switch up the spirits or fruit juices to come up with your own concoctions. When making larger quantities, just keep the ratios in the recipe proportionate. Then you’re good to go!

Would love for you to share your punch recipes with us in the comments sections. Cheers and Happy Holidays!

Pilgrim Punch

3oz dark rum

3oz light rum

3.5oz quality triple sec

12oz orange juice

2.5oz lime juice

1.5oz All Spice Dram

6 dash Angostura Bitters

To serve cold: Assemble all the ingredients in a large pitcher and stir. For individual servings, pour into a cocktail shaker and shake well with ice. Strain into a chilled glass with an orange slice and a dusting of freshly grated nutmeg.

To serve warm: Assemble all the ingredients into a saucepan with 6 ounces of sweetened orange pekoe tea. Heat the drink to just under a boil, and serve in a mug with freshly grated nutmeg.

Harvest Moon Punch

1 gallon fresh apple cider

6 star anise pods

6 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish

6 cloves

1 orange peel (remove zest of one navel orange, retaining very little pith)

32 ounces of bourbon (like Eagle Rare)

Combine the cider, spices and orange peel into a stainless steel pot and let simmer for 40 minutes. Do NOT boil. Strain and add the bourbon.

Blog post and recipes courtesy of Joshua Thinnes of PlumpJack Wine & Spirits – Noe Valley