Woo, woo! Those were killer 18th century punches that bar tenders from 13 Celsius whipped up for the sellout group of young professionals that poured through the doors of Rienzi on Thursday night. The occasion was a "Punch Party," a very social nod to the house museum's exhibition English Taste: The Art of Dining in the Eighteenth Century.

The most popular of three concotions was the Philadelphian, a gentle blend of cognac, rum, lemon juice, bitters and other ingredients. The Negroni punch packed a bitter wallop with its load of gin, campari, bitter orange and other stiff stuff. And then there was Major Bird's punch with its VSOP cognac, Jamaican rum, Angostura bitters and orange. Anyone planning to drive home in the rare drizzle had to seriously monitor the intake from those dainty punch glasses. Or they could, instead, opt for a glass of 21st century wine.

13 Celsius owners Mark Sammons and Ian Rosenberg oversaw the libations, recipes for which came from an 18th century, shall we say, party book. Bartenders Lindsay Heffron and Brae Bradley poured and enlightened the curious customers.

While we loved Thursday night's rain, it was too bad that the outdoor component of the evening with Divisi Strings performing around the pool was scratched. So the four string musicians with the glow from their iPads reflecting on their faces (that's right, no sheet music) made themselves musically at home in the Rienzi drawing room.

When not sampling hors d'oeuvres or sipping punch, guests could explore the treasures in the home that serves as the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's European decorative arts collection.

Part of the fun on this night was the dining table, focal point of the exhibition, that was elaborately set with crystal, china, silver serving pieces and candlesticks and very convincing faux food typical of a fancy 18th century dinner. Curator Christine Gervais and a number of docents were on hand to answer any questions that the curious food examples might evoke.