When most people think of punch they think of an afternoon party with punch and cookies served in a stuffy atmosphere, or better still, movies from the 80s where some bad boy with a flask would spike the punch at a homecoming dance.

Well I have news for you. Punch is no longer boring and stuffy! Over the last year I’ve seen a major resurgence in cocktail punches both at notable restaurant bars and at social events.

The next time you entertain, consider surprising your guests with a colorful, tasty punch. Here are a few classic cocktail punches worthy of trying:

Kill Devil Punch

Mother’s Ruin Punch

Champagne Punch

If you have a copy of the Old Mr Boston Bartender’s Guide (I love mine!), there are about 20 other punch concoctions to choose from.

Serving Punch

The classic way to serve punch is, of course, with a punch bowl set. I somehow ended up with two sets when I got married and wondered when we would ever use them. Now I am so thankful I have them!

If you don’t have a set, simply use a lovely bowl for the punch and some stemless glassware. This makes for a more modern approach and also allows for greater styling options.

Here is one classic punch bowl set available at Crate & Barrel:

For a more modern styling idea, see the Mother’s Ruin Punch recipe photo above.

 

Feeling Punchy?

Do you have a favorite punch recipe? Go ahead, punch me! Leave the recipe or other punch ideas in the comment section.