About National Punch Day
The word “punch” is said to be derived from the Hindustani word “panch,” which means “five.” In the early 1600s, sailors and employees of the British East India Company brought a new exotic drink from India to England. The beverage was made with five ingredients—spirits, lemon, sugar, water, and tea.
The recipe for punch spread from country to country and became one of the most popular party drinks in the world. Today there are hundreds of different punch recipes, although many of them still incorporate the five key ingredients: alcohol (often rum), citrus, sugar, water, and spice.
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