KACHEN #21 (Winter 2019) English edition

FEATURE
“Four elements, join'd in an emulous strife,
fashion the world, and constitute life. From the
sharp citron the starry juice pour; acid to life is
the innermost core. Now, let the sugar the bitter
one meet; still be life’s bitter tamed down with
the sweet! Let the bright water flow into the bowl;
water, the calm one, embraces the whole. Drops
from the spirit pour quick'ning within; life but
its life from the spirit can win. Haste, while it
gloweth, your vessels to bring: The wave has but
virtue drunk hot from the spring!””
FRIEDRICH SCHILLER
(translation: Edward Bulwer-Lytton)
These instructions for making punch are over 200
years old and belong to Friedrich Schiller. His
“Punch Song” possesses, however, a big caveat: the
German poet only mentions four ingredients and that is,
strictly speaking, wrong.
Many think, when hearing the word “punch”, foremost
of a traditional British drink. After all, at the latest since
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, punch is associated
with English homeliness, a crackling open fire and red
cheeks. Indeed, the alcoholic drink is especially popular
on the island.
British? As if!
Punch was not invented by the Brits. In reality, it comes
from somewhere a bit further away, from India to be exact.
In India, for many centuries, the drink has been brewed
from arrak, a spirit distilled from palm wine and containing
up to 60 or 70 per cent, as well as sugar, lemon, spices
and water or tea. Were you counting? That’s right, there
are five ingredients, dear Friedrich Schiller, not only four.
The Hindi word for five is pāñč (pronounced “pantsh”).
And now the English do play a role after all. In the 17th
century, English sailors learnt to appreciate the Indian
speciality and brought the recipe back home, as well as the
name, albeit somewhat anglicised. From thereon, “Punch”
spread across England , and not long after, throughout the
whole of Europe.
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KACHEN No.21 | WINTER 19