Fruit punche and its relationship with Sinaloa

Mexican producers supply seasonal fruits for the traditional drink called “ponche” which is widely drank on these dates.

MAZATLAN. – For this cold season, something warm is craving, but not like hot chocolate or coffee, more like a fruit punch, with ingredients that Sinaloans have on hand because they are one of the main sugarcane producers, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Sinaloa is the main state in sugarcane production with 128.4 thousand tons; follow by Nayarit, with 46.5 thousand tons; Puebla, 13.6 thousand tons and Jalisco 12.8 tons.

According to figures from the Agri-Food and Fisheries Information Service (SIAP), the production of fruit sugarcane totaled 238,000 tons at the end of 2021, which represented an increase of 127,000 tons compared to the previous year. This volume generated a value of 1,242 million pesos.

The punch is a mixture of hawthorn, sugar cane, tamarind, apple, guava and prunes, as well as Jamaican flower and piloncillo to sweeten, as well as cinnamon sticks for flavoring.

What does punch mean?

The origin of the word punch, historians assume that it comes from the ancient Persian peoples who lived in the Middle East and consumed a drink called “panch”, which they prepared with water, lemon, herbs, sugar and rum.

The product went to Europe, where after changes in its preparation (according to the available fruits) it acquired the name “punch” in English and “ponche” among the Spanish. Its preparation is very simple, since all these ingredients are fused in the boil of a pot traditionally made of clay or pewter.

Punche benefits

According to the National Academy of Medicine of Mexico, the fruits with which the punche is made help prevent diseases. Among the vitamins that punche provides the most are C, A, calcium, iron and potassium.

Source: Punto.mx