Punch Perfect Parties
“I have heard of a jorum, of a phlegm-cutter and fog driver…but never in my life, though I have lived a good many years, did I hear of cock-tail before. Is it particular to a part of this country? Or is it a late invention?” A perplexed reader asked the editor of the Hudson, New York newspaper, The Balance, in 1806.
No longer a “late invention,” there is something very glamorous about the history of the cocktail. The word itself conjures up images of The Great Gatsby’s Daisy Buchanan sipping a gimlet at a polo match or while playing croque on her Hamptons lawn, or a knowing flapper drinking a vodka martini in a teacup and whispering to with her beau at a speakeasy. Glamour notwithstanding, though, we’re all for democratic revelry—which is why we’re especially partial to vodka punch. A bowl and a ladle, and the whole party’s happy.
Evidently, Grey Goose feels the same way. The vodka company held a dinner recently with polo champion, Nic Roldan, and his closest friends in the Hamptons to celebrate their new “Hamptons Punch” cocktail—a clever mix of grapefruit juice, strawberries, basil, and Grey Goose Cherry Noir. The aperitif is part of a series of city-themed drinks, each of which is being introduced through an unforgettable event—for what better way to bring good friends together than a gathering of gourmet food and unforgettable cocktails? In keeping with the irreverent Miami culture, the citrus-y South Beach Punch debuted at a party hosted by mixologist Chad Simpson, with 150 of his closest friends and tunes by DJ A-Trak.
The Chicago Lakeshore Punch, a cool cucumber, elderflower, and pear aperitif, was the central element of a sophisticated feast hosted by chef John Wayne Formica. In Los Angeles, Chef Jon Sook combined the berry-infused South Beach Punch with balsamic pork ribs and porcini and corn agnolotti for his actor and artist friends. Finally, Grey Goose have released the recipe for all four drinks-just in time for us add an extra allure to our holiday parties.
