Punch
Punch is a refreshing summer drink made of wine, sparkling wine and fruit or herbs. Colourful, fruity and well chilled, this fizzy classic guarantees fruity enjoyment.
Facts
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3-5
ingredients
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18.
century
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50s
years
There’s really not much you can do wrong with this fruity cocktail – if you keep a few simple basic rules in mind:
- The best punches only use a couple of ingredients.
- A punch is only ever as good as the wine or sparkling wine used in its making. German quality wine, a light Kabinett and fruity Winzersekt are excellent choices.
- Only use fresh and fully ripe fruit.
- Peel and chop the fruit carefully – do not crush it.
- To get the fruit to develop its full aroma, just sugar it lightly or marinate it in grape liqueur. If you prefer a sweet punch, use sweet wines.
- Only add – well chilled – sparkling wine and mineral water just before you serve the punch. This way, you’ll keep it fizzing for that much longer.
- The ideal serving temperature for a punch is 5-8 °C, slightly cooler than for wine.
Do not add ice cubes to the punch. This will water it down. Best place the punch bowl inside a larger bowl filled with crushed ice.
And another thing: Once the punch is dwindling, do not top it up. It’s better to serve a good wine after the punch is finished.
Strawberry punch
Prepare a large plate full of fresh strawberries. Cut larger strawberries in half or quarter them. Sprinkle with sugar and let them sit for a while to release their juice. Alternatively, marinate the fruit in grape liqueur. Next, place fruit and juice in a punch bowl and let them steep in a little wine. Later, add 4-5 bottles of wine, such as well chilled rosé or Weißherbst. If possible, place the punch bowl on crushed ice. Just before serving, add a bottle of German Winzersekt and enjoy.
Peach punch
Peel 6-8 ripe peaches, cut them in half and remove the stones. Sprinkle the fruit pieces with sugar and let them steep. Next, add 3-4 bottles of wine, such as Riesling or Silvaner, and let the mixture steep for a couple of hours, preferably on ice. Just before serving, add a bottle of German Winzersekt for that zesty finishing touch.
Kumquat punch
Wash 15 kumquats in hot water, dry them and cut them into thin slices. Sprinkle with brown sugar and add a little wine, such as Pinot Gris or a mature Riesling. Let the mixture steep for a couple of hours, then top up with 2 bottles of wine and leave it to steep for some more time on ice. Just before serving, add a bottle of Winzersekt for that delightful sparkle.
How punch got its name
The German term for the refreshing summer cocktail made of wine and fruit is Bowle, derived from the English word “bowl”. Allegedly, the cocktail was invented by British colonial officers in India. To invigorate themselves and to overcome the sheer boredom of Colonial life, they got their Indian servants to create drinks for them that used at least five – or “punch” in Hindi – ingredients. Those were then served to the officers in a large “punchbowl”.
Thus the British started the fashion for punches in Europe in the 18th century. Initially reserved to nobility, drinking punch soon became a favourite pastime in bourgeois circles as well. The favourite drink of the 19th century high society later became the party craze of the 1950s. Today, the cocktail is becoming fashionable once again as an invigorating, fresh and fruity drink for the summer.
Do you know any other kind of punch than the traditional punch?
Besides the traditional punch like Cold Whisky Punch, Roman Punch, Ginger Punch,... for which spirits like brandy and whisky are used, you can also use grape wines to make a punch. How to make it? Find out in this article!
Varietals
with apples and nuts Tarte flambée
with apples and nuts
- 250 Gramm Weizen- oder Dinkelmehl
- 150 Gramm Crème fraîche
- 150 Gramm körniger Frischkäse
- 2 säuerliche Äpfel
- 1 - 2 Zwiebeln
- 30 Gramm Walnüsse oder Haselnüsse
- 15 Gramm Hefe
- 1 EL Zucker
- 2 EL Olivenöl
- 2 Zweige frischer Thymian
- Nach Bedarf Salz & Pfeffer
- 200 ml warmes Wasser
For the yeast dough, sieve the flour into a bowl and make a well in it. Dissolve the yeast in a little warm water and pour into the well. Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave to rise for 10 minutes. Then knead the pre-dough with the dough hook of a hand mixer and gradually work in the warm water, the oil and a teaspoon of salt. Leave the kneaded dough to rise until it has doubled in volume (approx. half an hour, in a warm place).
Cut the onions into wedges. Roughly chop the nuts. Core the apples, cut into slices (the thicker the apple slices, the juicier the tarte flambée) and sprinkle with the sugar.
<p
<p>After resting, divide the dough and roll out each half on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 220 °C (top and bottom heat)
Spread the crème fraîche evenly over the tarte flambée and top with the apple slices and onion wedges. Spread the fresh cheese on top and sprinkle with the walnuts. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
Bake on the lowest shelf for 12-15 minutes and sprinkle with the fresh thyme before serving.
- Riesling (halbtrocken & feinherb)
- Riesling (lieblich)
with cinnamon and sugar Odenwald apple soufflé
with cinnamon and sugar
- 1 kg Äpfel
- 250 Gramm Semmelbrösel
- 125 Gramm Zucker
- 2 EL Butter
- 1/2 TL Zimt
- 1 Msp. gemahlene Nelken
- 50 Gramm Rosinen
- 100 ml trockener Weißwein
- 1 EL Rum
- zum Bestreuen Zimt & Zucker
Sauté the breadcrumbs, butter, spices and 2 tbsp sugar in a pan. Peel the apples and cut into slices. Sauté in white wine with rum and sugar until the liquid has almost evaporated.
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<p>Fill the greased springform tin alternately with the breadcrumb mixture and apples (bottom and top layer of breadcrumb mixture).
Bake for one ½ hour at 140 °C. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
- Riesling (lieblich)
with herb crust Roast turkey
with herb crust
- 600 Gramm Putenbrust am Stücke
- 0,25 Liter Weißwein
- 0,25 Liter Gemüsebrühe
- 4 ganze Tomaten
- 4 Scheiben Toastbrot
- 2 ganze Eier
- 2 Stück Zwiebeln
- 75 Gramm geriebener Emmentaler
- 1 Stange Porree
- 1 Bund Schnittlauch
- 1 EL Olivenöl
- nach Belieben Salz & Pfeffer
Wash the meat, pat dry and cut a deep pocket lengthways. Crumble the toast. Wash and chop the herbs, peel and dice the onions.
<p
<p>Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Place the bread, herbs, onions, cheese and eggs in a bowl, mix thoroughly and season. Stuff 2/3 of this mixture into the turkey breast. Pin the opening with wooden skewers and tie up crosswise with kitchen twine. Place the roast in a roasting tin and brush with oil.
Roast in the preheated oven for approx. 1 hour. Gradually pour in the white wine and vegetable stock.
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<p>Clean and wash the vegetables. Cut the leek into pieces and add to the roast with the whole tomatoes after 30 minutes.
About 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time, spread the remaining third of the herb mixture over the roast and finish cooking.
Arrange on plates with the vegetables and serve. Serve with rice.
- Grauburgunder / Pinot Gris (trocken)
- Chardonnay (trocken)
Asparagus again at last Rocket salad with green asparagus and turkey breast fillet
A light, young Rivaner goes well with green asparagus.
- 400g Grüner Spargel
- 100g Rucola
- 400g Putenbrustfilets
- 200g Kirschtomaten
- 4 Eier
- 1 EL Basilikum-Pesto
- 1TL Butter
- 2 EL Olivenöl
- 2 EL Weißwein-Essig
- etwas Salz, Pfeffer
Peel the lower third of the asparagus and cut off the ends. Cut the spears in half and cook in boiling salted water with 1 tsp butter for approx. 7 mins. Set the asparagus water aside.
Cook the eggs until almost firm (the yolk should still be a little soft), peel and cut into quarters. Cut the turkey breast fillet into strips.
Fry the pine nuts briefly without fat in a non-stick pan. Then add a little fat directly to the pan and fry the turkey breast strips. Then keep them warm.
Mix the pesto with the white wine vinegar, 5 tbsp of the asparagus water, the olive oil and salt and pepper in a salad bowl to make a dressing.
Wash the rocket and add to the dressing. Halve the cherry tomatoes and add to the bowl. Mix in the asparagus and turkey. Finally, garnish with the quartered eggs and pine nuts.</p
<p>This goes well with freshly baked ciabatta bread.
Wine recommendation:
A light Rivaner from the last harvest, fresh as spring, with delicate flavours.
- Müller-Thurgau (brut)
