Punch (drink)

Punch refers to many drinks made from fruit or fruit juice and sometimes alcohol.^[1] The drink was started in India, then was brought to the United Kingdom in the early 1600s. The drink spread to other countries.^[2] Punch is usually served at parties in large bowls known as punch bowls.

A punch bowl at a party

In fact, the word “punch” is thought to derive from the Hindi word for “five,” as the original drink was frequently made with just five ingredients: alcohol (usually rum, brandy, or arack), sugar, juice (from either a lime or a lemon), water, and spices (like nutmeg). Others believe the word originates from the English “puncheon,” which was a volumetric description for certain sized barrels used to transport alcohol on ships.^[3]