Punch, punch and more punch (Punch)

Member Name: sweetpea01

Product:	Punch
Date:	20/05/09 (18 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Sweet and fruity

Disadvantages: None

Now that the summer is coming or well at least trying to, the thoughts of BBQ's and parties outside are becoming very tempting to me. There is nothing better than to have a summer's evening filled with friends and family all standing around outside in the warm (positive thinking required) and drinking nice thirst quenchers and eating great food.

Now that I have moved house and we have quite a lovely patio in the back garden, my mind as started to go into overdrive and I have already planned my first summer gathering for the end of June (you need to plan well in advance!) and I thought it would be a nice idea to serve something different than the usual, wine, beer or spirit and serve punch! After hours of trawling websites, books and other means I have come up with two homemade recipes which I have already tried and tested and the results are great!

Summer Punch

Ingredients:-

280 g frozen sliced strawberries in syrup
1 carton of orange juice
1 2 litre bottle of lemonade
1895 ml water
475 ml brewed black tea
400 g white sugar
710 ml light rum
2 trays ice cubes
2 2 litre bottles lemon-lime flavored carbonated drink, chilled

Method:-

1. In a punch bowl, combine strawberries, orange juice concentrate, lemonade concentrate, water and tea.
2. Stir in sugar and rum.
3. Add Ice, and pour in lemon soda.


Vanilla Punch

Ingredients:-

2 l tropical fruit juice
60 ml grenadine syrup
1 2 litre bottle lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage
1 tub vanilla ice cream
1 jar maraschino cherries

Method:-

1. Pour tropical fruit juice into a large punch bowl.
2. Stir in grenadine and lemon-lime soda.
3. Add the ice cream in big scoops - it will resemble a big fluffy cloud.
4. Drop cherries on top of the cloud of ice cream and serve.

Both recipes take minutes to do and are so easy. Whilst waiting for your guests to arrive it can easily be chilled in the fridge and left until they arrive. Punch always seems to go down well because it's fun and seems a lot better than just a standard glass of wine or bottle of beer! Punch to me always makes me think of the summer, the taste is just so fresh and fruity. Obviously you can change the recipes and add or remove what you like.

How Punch is referred to by Wikipedia:-
Punch is a general term for any of a wide assortment of mixed drinks, either soft or alcoholic, often rum, generally containing fruit or fruit juice. The drink was brought from India to England in the early seventeenth century, and from there it was introduced into other countries. Punch is typically served at parties in large, wide bowls known as punch bowls.

We all have an image of punch when we think of it. Something red and fruity filled with fruit and in a glass bowl and it's served with a ladel. I love the fact punch can be so versatile. It can be as flavourful as you want and alcohol is always optional. So unless you really don't like fruit, then I guess your a bit stuffed! But otherwise this is the perfect summer party drink!

Summary: A great summertime drink