Tuesday, September 20th is National Punch Day!
A once standard staple at historic parties, the punch bowl is coming back! Inspired by large-format cocktails and the spirit of conviviality, punch bowl drinks are taking the cocktail experience to the next level. The term ‘punch’ refers broadly to any unfussy drink served from a large bowl at parties, but it’s evolved into something more sophisticated and scalable.
We asked Three-time James Beard award nominated Head Bartender Alex Barbatsis of Chicago’s The Whistler (GQ’s 25 Best Cocktail Bars in America) for some insight on how a crowd-pleasing punch bowl can liven things up and serve as an ornate fixture for socializing.
Alex’s Tips on Crafting a Punch Bowl:
- Size matters when it comes to icing your punch. You can keep a punch cool without getting too watered down by using a single large block of ice.
- Specialty spirits stores often carry large ice molds, but you can make your own using a small cooler or a bread pan—opt for a decorative, patterned one to add further interest to your punch.
- A well-presented punch bowl can add a festive spark to any gathering. An easy way to enhance its look is by adding edible flowers and sliced citrus wheels on top of the block of ice. It serves as a centerpiece for your party so should be dressed accordingly.
Check out these 5 punch bowl recipes created by top bartenders using that will take your soirées to the next level!
P100D Punch (20 servings)
Created by Jonathan Pogash
Ingredients:
- 1 bottle of Tap 357
- 1/2 jar of The Perfect Purée Cranberry Purée, thawed
- 3 oz The Perfect Purée Meyer Lemonade Concentrate, thawed
- 1/2 gal. apple cider
- 3 oz cinnamon syrup
Preparation: Add to punch bowl. When ready to serve, add ice and stir well. Ladle into cups. Garnish with cranberries.
Linnean Hill Punch (100 servings)
Created by Jonathan Pogash
Ingredients:
- 4 bottles of Cutty Sark Scotch
- 2 jars of The Perfect Purée Cranberry Purée, thawed
- 2 gal. apple cider
- 1 gal. limeade
- 6 cans ginger beer
Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a punch bowl and stir to combine. Ladle into a rocks glass with ice and garnish with a thin apple slice.
Brant Point Punch
(Photo by Max Anderson)
Created by Jonathan Pogash, The Cocktail Guru,
Served at Nantucket Wine & Food Festival, 2022
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2oz Brugal 1888 Rum
- 1 oz The Perfect Purée Mango Passionfruit Blend, thawed
- 1 oz Bajan Punch
- 1/2 oz pomegranate juice
Preparation: Place all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake lightly, strain and serve in a highball glass.
Pyrat Punch
(Photo by Ruslan Khmelevsky)
Created by Caterina Miltenberger, Corporate Mixologist, Glazer’s Distributers, Dallas
Ingredients:
- 1 oz Pyrat XO Reserve Rum
- 1 oz Dekuyper Amaretto (save 1/2oz Amaretto for float)
- 1/2 oz Patron Citronge
- 1/2 oz The Perfect Purée Passionfruit Concentrate, thawed
- 1 oz falernum
Preparation: Add ingredients in a mixing glass with fresh ice. Shake vigorously, strain pour into a Pilsner glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a pineapple leaf.
Passion Punch
Created by Tony Abou-Ganim, The Modern Mixologist
- 1 1/2oz Barsol Quebranta Pisco
- 1/2 oz Lemon Hart Rum
- 1 ½ oz The Perfect Purée Passionfruit Concentrate, thawed
- 2 oz fresh orange juice
- 2 oz fresh lemon sour
- 2 dashes Angostura Orange Bitters
- 1 dash ground nutmeg
Preparation: In an ice filled mixing glass, add Barsol Quebranta Pisco, The Perfect Purée Passionfruit Concentrate, fresh orange juice, fresh lemon sour, Angostura orange bitters and ground nutmeg. Shake until well blended and strain into an ice goblet. Top with a float of Lemon Hart Rum. Garnish with orange and lemon slices and a brandied cherry.
The Perfect Purée invites foodservice professionals to order complimentary samples.
The post Here’s How Top Bartenders Celebrate National Punch Day appeared first on Chilled Magazine.
Source: Mixology News
