Potent Party Potions
Punch up Your Festivities with a Forerunner of Modern Mixology
As the cold weather sets in and my neighborhood begins to twinkle with holiday lights, I know it’s time to hit the books to prepare for this season’s holiday punch. For inspiration, I revisit old standards like the 18th-century Philadelphia Fish-House Punch, the Schuylkill Fishing Club’s (in)famous blend of rum, brandies, lemon, sugar and water.
Regents Punch, my perennial favorite, is a fresh-pineapple-infused Champagne punch from the early 19th century made with fresh citrus, Cognac, Jamaican rum and arrack (distilled red rice, water and molasses). Arrack was popularized by King George IV, best known for his extravagant taste in food and beverage. Only James Beard could give the royal a run for his money with his frosty Champagne Punch, laden with medallions of cucumber and tiny icebergs to dilute the bowl.
Originally a sailors’ drink of aged rum, fresh citrus and arrack, punch dates back to the 17th century and the flow of trade between India and the United Kingdom. Predating the cocktail by a good 150 years, punch laid the foundation for modern mixology in its pursuit of the balance between spirit, sugar, water and spices.
In striving for a guest-worthy punch, adhere to the wise words of Michael Pollan: “If your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize it as food, then neither should you.” The same guidelines apply to punch (sorry, no ginger ale or lime sherbet). The better the ingredients, the better the drink and, as with any good recipe, an inherent order of operations.
The secret to true punch is to begin with an oleo-saccharum, a careful combination of fresh citrus peels and sugar that’s muddled and sits for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight, for the sugar to absorb the zesty oils and form a superior, ambrosial punch base.
In Reveler’s Punch, my magnum opus punch recipe, I add sprigs of fresh lavender leaves, sage and rosemary to the oleo-saccha-rum to infuse rich aromatic botanicals to the batch. This is also the phase when I add pomegranate seeds for color, texture and festivity, a coy sweetness to round the medley of zests.
Once the oleo-saccharum is complete, strong, hot green tea helps dissolve the sugar, a toasty wave of bitterness to kick off what’s called the “shrub,” or (ironically) the “sherbet,” with the addition of fresh-pressed lemon and orange juice. A glug of Cognac and a splash of dry Curaçao (French triple sec), form a spirited layer of vanilla and orange blossom notes. All of this over a block of ice for chill and dilution, and topped with a bottle of Champagne for sparkle.
Pink and frothy in a deceivingly demure punch glass, Reveler’s Punch projects a certain grandeur and flare, a healthy dose of good cheer and a whole lot of convenience. Bottle and refrigerate your punch base up to a week in advance, and you’ll be leaps ahead of the holiday race.
