I used to break out the punch bowl for two very different occasions: the holidays and college parties. Holiday punch bowls were filled with vodka-kissed juices, rich buttered rum or citrus-studded mulled wine. College party punch bowls were filled with my friend Jesse’s Jungle Juice: the remnants of our liquor stash, a package of powdered lemonade mix, a two-liter of Sprite and our sanity.
I’ve recently come around to the joys of batched cocktails and more sophisticated punch bowls when hosting parties, but aside from those holiday renditions and sangria, I admit I’m not great at DIY-ing my own punch. Enter Punch Bowls & Pitcher Drinks, a slim but pretty volume by Jeanne Kelley and Sarah Tenaglia that offers dozens of batched cocktail recipes for all palates and occasions: sangrias and Champagne-inspired drinks, lazy Sundays, fireside cocktails and even a few nonalcoholic options.
Since this punch would be shared with my Sauce co-workers, I turned to the classic cocktail-inspired punches. Here, simple recipes with pretty, thirst-inspiring photos are shared for things like an Old-Fashioned-Manhattan Punch, a Skinny Moscow Mule, Gin Fizz with Lemon Verbena, and – for reasons I cannot fathom – Jungle Juice, an actual recipe for our early-20s shenanigans gussied up with slices of fruit.
I opted for a lighter, more grown-up Pimm’s Punch, a modified batched version of a Pimm’s Cup. The simple recipe was perfect for a busy Friday afternoon. Muddle together orange slices, lemon slices, cucumber rounds and apple wedges with fresh mint, cover with 2 cups Pimm’s No. 1 and fresh lemon juice, and let all the flavors get acquainted with one another for an hour. Then, I topped off the concoction with ginger ale and sparkling water and served it over ice with fresh mint.
Despite only eight slices of cucumber, it’s bright, refreshing qualities powered through the liqueur. The ginger ale and sparkling gave the punch a lovely effervescence, and we all agreed this would be a perfect brunch or summer party cocktail. We all also agreed that it desperately needed more booze, topping off each of our cocktails with at least two ounces more liquor. If preparing this for a party, I’d advise placing the bottle of Pimm’s next to the punch bowl and letting guests add to taste.
Pimm’s Punch 6 to 8 servings
8 ½-inch-thick unpeeled cucumber rounds or spears (from 1 cucumber)
1 large orange, cut into rounds, seeds removed
1 large lemon, cut into rounds, seeds removed
1 large apple, cored and cut into wedges
16 fresh mint sprigs
2 cups Pimm’s No. 1 Cup
½ cup fresh lemon juice
2½ cups chilled ginger ale or lemon-lime soda
1½ cups chilled sparkling water
Ice cubes
• Combine the cucumber, fruits and half the mint in a large pitcher. Using a muddler or a wooden spoon, press on the fruit and mint several times. Add the Pimm’s and lemon juice. Refrigerate 1 hour, then mix in the ginger ale and sparkling water.
• Fill tumblers with ice cubes, then add the chilled punch and its fruits. Garnish with the remaining mint sprigs.
Reprinted with permission from Clarkson Potter Publishers What was your most embarrassing college “cocktail” concoction? Tell us about it in the comments below for a chance to win a copy of Punch Bowls & Pitcher Drinks.
This article appears in Guide to Beer 2015.