20th September, best known as Punch Day

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20th September is celebrated as Punch Day every year. But there is nothing to worry about it. It is not about the physical type of punch. No one has to run for cover in fear of taking some punches from their buddies. This is rather about the type of punch we all love, that is, the alcohol variety.

Origin of the word ‘Punch’

The word punch originates from the Hindustani word ‘panch’. It means five. But Punch Day is not an excuse to drink five glasses of punch. Rather, it celebrates the traditional punch base recipe of five key ingredients. They are still in use namely: alcohol (usually spirits), lemon (or other fruits), sugar, water, and tea (or other spices like cinnamon.

History of this day

If we want to understand the history of Punch Day, we need to understand the history of the drink itself. This drink made its way back to the 17th century in England. It did this via those workers who worked for the British East India Company. Then they brought the drink to the UK. After this, it spread across Europe. In this meantime, it had become a very popular drink. It got served at family gatherings and parties. But nowadays, it is not as popular. Nowadays, we will find various types of cocktails and other alcoholic beverages at parties. However, this drink is sometimes present in larger events, especially college parties.

Punch is usually served in a large bowl. This was a very popular item that was kept in the house in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. A lot of these bowls were passed down as heirlooms, as they were served with ornate stands and were beautiful statement pieces.

How to enjoy ‘Punch’

One of the best ways to enjoy this day is having a big bowl of punch together with friends. In this way, people can enjoy it together. The key to this drink is that we can induce any spice or flavor or fruits we want into it. People have fun experimenting with a whole new level of fruits and spices. Another way to celebrate this day is having a Punch competition. For example, we can call up our friends and tell them to make this drink in their own way. After this, we can taste each other’s punch and crown someone a winner among us. In this way, we can have a round of laughs with our friends. Plus, the creativity of all the participants gets a plus point.

Which is the most popular ‘Punch’?

Sangria is one of the most popular takes on punch. It is a drink which originated in Spain. The typical ingredients which go into this are red wine, brandy, and fruit. However, any other type of this drink featuring fruit can be classified as Sangria. A fan of wine should definitely go for it. Sangria can be bubbly, rich, mild, or spicy.

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