Punch is coming back. We aren’t talking about a mix-whatever-fruit juices-you-have-lying-around punch. We’re talking about some serious this-is-why-you-came-to-my-housefor-dinner punch. Perhaps you’re feeling hesitant because you grew up associating punch with an electric-red summer camp concoction. Or maybe you’re planning a soiree and aren’t sure whether all your guests will enjoy the same drink.
>> Well, hosts and hostesses, I say to you, take control! Guide your guests to punch, and assertively suggest they imbibe. They will thank you for it, and here’s why: Punch is delicious. It saves time and allows you, the party planner, to relax and enjoy the company of your guests instead of spending the night making drinks.
>> If I haven’t persuaded you yet, maybe punch’s history will. From the 1670s to the 1850s, it was common for a group to gather to drink punch, and it was an unwritten rule that once a bowl was presented to guests, there was no leaving it unfinished.
[try this with 
>> taylor house punch
Antipasti! The bubbles and refreshing fruitiness of this sparkling punch cuts right through the fat of cured meats and cheeses. Create a spread of artisanal meats and cheese, marinated olives, toasted bread and a few jams and mustards.
30 lemons, sliced into wheels
8 oranges, sliced into wheels
3/4 lb. brown sugar
2 t. kosher salt
2 T. cardamom pods, toasted & cracked
2 whole nutmegs, grated
>> Mix all ingredients together, and muddle with a wooden spoon. Let sit, stirring occasionally, until the sugar begins to dissolve and turns into a paste. Then add:
1 whole pineapple, cored & sliced
2 pints strawberries, hulled & sliced
1 whole cucumber, sliced
2 bottles fruity (but dry) rose wine
2 bottles London dry gin
6 oz. Luxardo maraschino liqueur
16 oz. strong, hot green tea
1 bottle cava (added at serving)
>> Let all the ingredients (except the cava) sit at room temperature for 24 hours. Taste, and add more sugar if desired. Refrigerate at least 10 days, or up to one month before serving.
>> When serving: Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Top with cava.
[Jorie Taylor is a certified sommelier and the bar manager at Cielo at the Four Seasons Hotel.]