The History of Punch
Recipes
(a work in progress)
This is mostly about how a mixed fruity flavored beverage served at parties in a bowl became known as Punch. |
This started out as a simple article, but there is so much fun stuff, I will be adding for a while.
What is so fascinating about Punch ?
I don't know, I have had very few that are even interesting. They make me think of fruity, overly sweet, and boring get togethers.
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Cool 18th century painting of a meeting over Punch.
A Midnight Conversation, William Hogarth artist 1697-1764
How did Punch get it's Name?
Punch the Clock
Wait for the Punch Line
Punch and Judy
Knock Out Punch
Leather Punch
Make a Punch List
and of course
For the party there was a big bowl of Punch
Wow So many meanings for punch
The Mysterious Number of 5
I find this to be one of he most intersting cases of Folk Etemology. The most certain theory is that in the late 1600's John Freyer came back from exploring India and Persia and loved this Hindu drink called Pancha which in Hindi means 5. It was 5 ingredients; Citrus, sugar, spirits, spice, and water....so what word in the United Kingdom sounds similar to Panca and easier to pronounce....
Over a Barrel?
Punch was a familiar term, there was also a puncheon which is a French word for a leather tool and later a cask of wine or soap, but the actual root goes way back further in latin, and it was also a word for landing a stinging blow on another person, as well as
It is just a cool word, so why not for a drink. |
So why did it end up in a "Punch Bowl"?
In England when introduced by the John Fryer it became a popular drink in the common taverns in England and something that was great to discuss business with or was a great social lubricant and was served in individual bowls made of delftware that were cheap and common then.
John Ashley was a cheese importer that dropped that and became the first to open the London Coffee and Punch House
The caption on this portrait expresses that he brought Punch into the mainstream and made it affordable.
His place was lively where metal punchbowls were filled and served at a table where many great plots were hatched and the politics were cussed and discussed.
He also served a single portion that he called a "Sneaker" the forerunner most likely of the "Cocktail". |
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In fact William Randolph ordered a bowl of punch in a Tavern in Williamsburg in 1736 to close a land deal with Thomas Jefferson's Father.
From the Food History Timeline, and the Williamsburg Cookbook. |
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English delftware dish, 1638,
probably by Richard Irons, Southwark,
London (Victoria and Albert Museum)
What invented this Drink ?
Though it is not certain, so much evidence points to John Freyer bringing back this drink from his travels from India as explained above. The most popular recipes used Rum, lemon, lime and even orange peel, sugar, water and spice
David Wondrich goes into the history of punch in his book, and tells us that also sailors brought back the drink when sailing in the Indies and Indonesia. There the weather was too hot for beer, and being the drinkers they were known for they went searching for something else. So the punch recipes made from "Aarack" which is like a rum made from molasses, citrus and spices.
Here is a really old recipes from the 1600's
'Meriton Latroon's Bantam Punch'
 
Punch, The Delights (and Dangers)
of the Flowing Bowl
Recipes
[1770]
"[A rum punch]
The peel of 8 Oranges and 8 Lemons in 1 quart of rum. 3 Gallons of Water boild with 3 lb. of loaf Sugar and the Whites of 8 Eggs. 2 and 3/4 pints of orange juice and 1 and 3/4 Pints of Lemon juice. strain the quart of rum from the Peel and add one Gallon more of rum to rest of the ingredients."
---A Colonial Plantation Cookbook: The Receipt Book of Harriott Pinckney Horry, 1770, [South Carolina] edited with an Introduction by Richard J. Hooker [University of South Carolina Press:Columbia SC] 1984 (p. 139)
Charles DIckens an author in the 1800's was big fan of punch.
His recipe sounds decent is posted here
Links to Punch Modern Recipes
Not your Grandma's Punch
Refrences:
John Fryer
The Food History TImeline
Info on Punch History
The New Account of East India and Persia
Vintage Cocktail that Packs a Punch
Background on Rum
Pirates and Rum, a History
Authentic Pirate Rum Drinks
From the DrinkingCup.com
The History of Punch
Illustrations
East Indiamen Ship |
