Packing a punch: Finding lost Norse bowl close to home

The Norse punch bowl, circa 1952, is back "home"

I've been in possession of my mom's punch bowl for almost forty years (or so I assumed). My parents received it as a wedding gift back in 1952 and my mom gave it to me when my husband, Chris,  and I moved to our first home. Its streamlined design definitely speaks mid-century and, I've since discovered, it is the "Norse" pattern made by Federal Glass (and can still be found hit-or-miss on such sites as ebay, etsy or Replacements).

Not an expensive set, but it's appeal is in its defiance of ornate and gilded sensibilities and, in my case, lots of good memories. I remember my my mom making a colorful punch for the holidays with lime sherbet crowned with an ice ring filled with raspberries. With its finely fluted, translucent sides, the Norse bowl took center stage on the kitchen table, filled with Christmas-colored ingredients and  I thought it looked was amazing.

Over the years, Chris and I have used it mostly for eggnog at Christmas, but since moving to our condo four years ago, I hadn't been able to locate it. Of course, I first suspected it was Chris who "disposed of it" (I don't inquire as to methods or means) with much of the  bric-a-brac that had accumulated in our previous home of twenty-three years. Chris applies a sort of Marie Kondo method to decluttering: whatever doesn't bring him joy - and that tends to be lots of storage boxes filled with items rarely, if ever used - he gets rid of it. It could be charity donations, our neighbors or the curb.  

Found a punch recipe in a file box that also belonged to my mom

However, last fall, when my oldest son, Rob, generously hosted a quarantine-induced minimalist wedding at his home (for daughter, Rachel and her now husband, Sean), I was shocked at what I saw planted rather unceremoniously on his kitchen counter. There was my mother's punch bowl filled with ladles, spoons and spatulas like an ordinary utensils caddy. Although repurposed and, perhaps looking slightly less esteemed, I had found it! 

A quick recounting of years past, I deduced that I had brought it to Rob's for one of his summer picnics and left it behind, thinking I'd get it back at some point.  Rob didn't seem to be aware of the punch bowl's provenance and Chris got to repeat one of his favorite sayings, "I am blameless".  

But, I can't find the base, the cups or the holder, so he's not entirely off the hook.  ; ) 

Punch is said to have five ingredients

While I'm still missing some essential pieces of the punch set, by happy accident, I did very recently uncover my mom's lime sherbet punch recipe. In advance of a special someone's recipe-themed bridal shower, I pulled out a tin box stuffed with hand written notes and newspaper clippings that also belonged to my mom.  Among instructions to create Jell-O salads and a number of upside down cakes, I found a tattered, hand-written note with the simple title "Punch". And, lo and behold, it has five ingredients (as we noted in our previous blog, five ingredients were theorized as to what gave punch its name):  lime sherbet, ginger ale, frozen orange juice, raspberries and - what's this? - vodka. No tea here! (Ironically, my mom wasn't much of a drinker, but it was the 1960's and 70's and boozy punch at the holidays would have been as common as filled-up ashtrays indoors!)

So, this holiday season, expect to see some festive punch in the Norse bowl - all are welcome, but as to what the five ingredients will be, we can't say for sure. Perhaps I'll have uncovered the cups by then. . .