Is punch the new (old) drink of 2011?

I've been hearing about punch lately and it was served at a Christmas Eve party I went to. I have not thought of it for some time but I always liked it unless it was gloppy and laden with melted sherbet. A rum punch sounds good to me, as well as some without alchohol. Its kind of Sandra Lee-ish but maybe not?

http://www.ediblebrooklyn.com/winter-20 ... -punch.htm

A penny for your thoughts.

Yes, punch has been simmering on the back burner and really became something of a big deal in the later part of 2010...so much so that I've heard many folks (mostly NYC-based) crying uncle. Still, it's not unusual that it would have peaked during this time of festive gatherings and colder weather. I don't know how much staying power it can have...will folks be packing thermoses of Fish House on picnics?

Much of the glory/blame certainly can be put on the shoulders of David Wondrich for his new book and concurrent evangelical tour. However, I also tend to see punch as a predictable evolution of the popularity of dealer's choice. Punch is an way for professional bartenders and novices alike to craft a product that will please a variety of palates without requiring as much labor a la minute.

Alton Brown had a nice episode of Good Eats devoted to punch early last year (2009). The historical stuff was especially good. Of course, he's in the South where punch never fully went away.

I just bought the book Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl by David Wondrich. It's a history with recipes, and Wondrich makes a good case for bringing punch back.

Cynthia wrote:I just bought the book Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl by David Wondrich. It's a history with recipes, and Wondrich makes a good case for bringing punch back.

The book is really a fun read. I've been pining for punch for several months now.

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I spent a couple of years as a Revolutionary War re-enactor, and the real fun started when the sun set and the tourists went home. You wanted to make friends with the British officers, because they usually had an appropriate period punch in the evenings -- something with cognac and champagne and fruit -- and we'd sit around their big tent and fill our tankards and have a grand time. I've actually been in love with punch since then. I'm hoping this punch book has something that comes close.

Regarding punch bowls, they seem to always have them cheap at resale shops. People get rid of them because they take up space and have no intentioin of making punch. Of couse you can buy new but there might be some really interesting ones to pick up.

My mom makes punch (non-alcoholic) every Christmas. It is a mix of juices, with a predominance of pineapple, finished off with squirt. Then there is the ice ring...has to have maraschino cherries. It is a thing of legend. All her children and grand children look forward to it every Christmas. Served in a cut glass punch bowl of course!

By coincidence, I received an e-mail this morning from Garden & Gun, which contained a recipe for Chatham Artillery Punch. I may have to give this one a shot.

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ronnie_suburban wrote:By coincidence, I received an e-mail this morning from Garden & Gun, which contained a recipe for Chatham Artillery Punch.

You must know that the punch was not the most interesting part of this sentence!

I like the idea of freezing some of the punch or flavored liquid in an ice mold ring and putting stuff in there to keep the punch cold. The punch I was served had such a ring of frozen juice floating in it and it was very pretty. I think you can use a jello mold. By the way another thing you can find in thrift shops. Many get rid of jello molds so you can pick up a good one there for a dollar.

The artillery punch will knock you for a loop as it is comprised of a lot of liquor. You should get a real bang out of that. Serve with caution and have designated drivers who will drink mocktails instead of the punch.

ronnie_suburban wrote:By coincidence, I received an e-mail this morning from Garden & Gun, which contained a recipe for Chatham Artillery Punch. I may have to give this one a shot.

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That looks like it might very well be the punch I mentioned that we drank with the British officers when I was doing Rev War re-enacting. Lots of booze, a little fruit, and some champagne. If it's not the same, it's a very close relative. Now I just have to find a party big enough to serve that much punch.

Thanks, Ronnie. I loved that punch. And the article is right -- it does taste a lot more innocent than you'd expect.

JeffB wrote:Alton Brown had a nice episode of Good Eats devoted to punch early last year (2009). The historical stuff was especially good. Of course, he's in the South where punch never fully went away.

And fortunately, it's on YouTube. Definitely think we need to try a couple of these punches sometime.

"Feeling Punchy" Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZPV6ZGTrCw

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghCYzE38 ... re=related