Punch is one of the oldest mixed drinks. The drink originated in India as "panch" and was introduced to the West by employees of the East India Company in the seventeenth century.
The name "punch" is a Hindi loanword meaning "five". The drink was frequently made with five ingredients: alcohol, sugar, citrus juice, water and spices. Rum was the original spirit of choice in Britain, in part because of the Jamaican rum trade, but other spirits were eventually used based on location, availability and personal tastes.
There’s no need to buy a lot of special ingredients to make a good punch. We originally intended to make a gin punch with a spiced tea but decided instead to use some juice we had leftover from our holiday party. The sparkling wine was a gift, and the bubbles made the punch more festive. Feel free to follow our recipe or use it as a guide to make your own unique take on this classic drink for your next party.
Ingredients 1 cup granulated sugar 6 lemons 3 cups cranberry juice 3 cups pomegranate juice 750 ml gin 1 bottle sparkling wine Oranges
Peel three of the lemons and add the peels and sugar in a bowl. Muddle the lemon peels to release the oil and set aside for 1 hour. After an hour, juice all six lemons and add to the sugar mixture. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the lemon peels and discard.
Combine the sweetened juice with the other ingredients, ideally in a punch bowl or a large pitcher. Garnish with orange slices.
Serve over ice in a punch cup.