Poncha facts for kids
| Cocktail | |
|---|---|
Poncha
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| Type | Cocktail |
| Served | On the rocks; poured over ice |
| Standard garnish | sugar cane, lime (ingredient) |
| Standard drinkware |
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| Commonly used ingredients |
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| Preparation | Place lemon rind and sugar into old fashioned glass and muddle (mash the two ingredients together using a 'mexelote' or a wooden spoon). Fill the glass with ice and add the aguardente de cana and lemon juice. |
| Notes | A wide variety of fresh fruits can be used in place of lime. |
Poncha is a special traditional drink from the beautiful island of Madeira. It is made with a type of alcohol called aguardente de cana, which comes from sugar cane juice. The drink also includes sweet honey, sugar, and fresh fruit juices like orange juice or lemon juice. Sometimes, other fruit juices are added too!
People in Madeira mix poncha using a special tool. It's called a mexelote, and it's a type of muddler. This tool helps mash the ingredients together perfectly. You might know another drink called Caipirinha; it was actually inspired by poncha! In Madeira, some people traditionally believe that drinking poncha can help when you have a common cold.
The Story of Poncha
The idea for poncha might have come from an old Indian drink. This Indian drink was called pãnch or panch. In the Hindi language, pãnch means five. This is because the original drink had five main ingredients. These ingredients were alcohol, sugar, lemon, water, and either tea or spices.
This old Indian drink also inspired another famous drink. It's the English drink known as punch. So, poncha shares a cool history with drinks from different parts of the world!
See also
In Spanish: Poncha para niños
