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But who invented Punch? The only thing we know for sure is that the first big Punch drinkers were 17th century English sailors on the East India trade route, who traded wines and beers for spirits during their voyages. Limes and lemons were always available on ships to stock up on vitamin C and avoid scurvy, and spices and sugar were also present. The first written recipe for Punch dates back to 1638, when Johan Albert de Mandelslo, a German who ran a factory in the Indian city of Surat, wrote that his workers drank 'a kind of drink made of brandy, rosewater, lemon juice and sugar'.
Sailors brought Punch to English ports on their return from their voyages, and so the drink caught on on land, becoming one of the most popular until the Victorian era, as evidenced in much of the literature of the time. Punch was drunk in the iconic 'bowl', which gave a sense of sociability and sharing, and was also not part of the tax system, so it was not taxed. Thanks to this huge popularity of the sailors' drink, rum lost its reputation as a cheap spirit for soldiers and sailors, and spread to the middle classes. Having fallen out of favour in the 19th century, Punch is now being rediscovered for its pleasurable spirit of conviviality: preparing a bowl of Punch means preparing to spend time in company, with people who will all drink the same thing. That's why the key aspect is the preparation of the ingredients, which can take place even hours before the party or evening. Some bars also serve Punch to guests as a welcome drink, to be enjoyed while the menu is being planned.
- The classic proportions of Punch follow an ancient verse that seems to have originated in Barbados: One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak.
- The sour is in lime or lemon juice; the sweet is in sugar; the strong is in rum or other dark spirits; the weak is in water, fruit juice, iced tea; the spicy is in nutmeg, cinnamon or others.
- One of the advantages of Punch is that it can really be prepared with many different types of ingredients, so it is best to focus on the quality of the raw materials and use the best available.
- A key aspect of making a great Punch is the extraction of the lemon essence or any other citric used. The oils released give an indispensable fragrance, as well as degreasing and helping to balance the sugar. The best way to extract all the essential oils of citrus fruits - and the rest of the fruit - is to let them macerate together: the sugar has the power to extract all the essences. During the resting process, the grains will dissolve as the fruit yields some of its juice and all of its oils: this preparation is commonly known as Oleo Saccharum, and has also been used in pharmaceutical preparations since ancient times.
Fish House Punch Recipe
100cl Myer's Rum
50cl Valdespino Brandy
15cl Bitter Truth Peach
600ml lemon juice*
300g brown sugar*
150cl water*
2-3 peaches, peeled, skinned and cut into pieces*.
Preparing Fish House Punch
Place the lemon juice and sugar in a large cocktail bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Add rum, brandy, bitter, water and peaches.
Stir well.
Chill for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
When ready to serve, add ice, stir again and pour into glasses using a ladle.
