Today, September 20, 2014, is National Rum Punch Day. Punch is the term for a wide assortment of drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice. The drink was introduced to England from India in the early 17th century; from there its use spread to other countries. Punch is typically served at parties in large, wide bowls, known as punch bowls. The word punch is a loanword from Sanskrit meaning "five", as the drink was originally made with five ingredients: alcohol, sugar, lemon, water, and tea or spices.
