I love hosting parties, and even more—serving a punch! It was very recently incorporated into my menu. Reasons: I found that acting as a bartender shaking cocktails, takes you away from your guests.
More importantly, all the fun, and of course—the gossip! Yes, I could have hired a bartender, but doing that every time can be pretty expensive.
Here are a bunch of quick recipes I usually serve. These are a mix of spiked and non-alcoholic, in no particular order:
Sparkling pink
The recipe pairs 1 can tangy pink lemonade with 4 cups cranberry juice. The sweet and sour concoction is bubbled up with 4 cups chilled Beloka sparkling water, and garnished with a spring of mint.
Blush of red
Combine 4 packs unsweetened strawberry drink mix with 2 can pineapple juice, 3 cups white sugar and 16 cups water. Just before serving, fizz if up with 2 liters of sparkling water.
A ray of Rum
When you mix all of these with a dash of sparkling water, you get a fresh flavor of everything tangy, and tropical.
- 1/4 cup coconut rum
- 1 1/2 cups white rum
- 2 1/2 cups pineapple juice
- 2 1/2 cups orange juice
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 3 tablespoons grenadineA
- A few ice cubes
Tequila tale
Now this one is not for the faint-hearted. With the sharp taste of 4 cans frozen limeade concentrate and 3 cups tequila, sweetened with 3 cups orange liqueur, and subtly balanced with 12 cups mineral water, what you get is a dizzy explosion in your glass!
Flirty affair
For an outburst of flavor that flirts with your senses, infuse 6 rosemary springs into a 750 ml bottle of strawberry rum. Pep it up with 24 parts sparkling water and trickle down the drink over some ice cubes.
A zing to remember
Tangy and delicious, this one’s tantalizing. Simply steep 2 green tea bags, a few cloves and a cinnamon stick into 6 cups boiling water. Add ½ cup sugar. Stimulate with the zingy flavor of 1 cup orange juice and 1 can thawed lemonade concentrate. Dress up with lemon slices.
Berry splash
Indulge in the aroma of this colorful splash! Add 1 pack of unsweetened cherry drink mix, 6 cups cranberry juice and ¼ cup sugar. Pop a few fresh blueberries and mint springs for a burst of freshness.
‘Beer’ hug
When a handful of fresh raspberries sit prettily atop a huge jar filled with beer (you can empty 3 bottles), what you get is a perky drink that hugs the summer tight and cool! You would also need to add 1 ½ oz. frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate and 1/2 cup vodka.
Strawberry wave
This margarita recipe is a perfect ‘summer-in-a-glass-drink’. You would need to pulse in a blender:
- 1 pack of whole strawberries
- 1 can frozen strawberry daiquiri mix
- 1 cup tequila
- 1/4 cup orange liqueur
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Before serving, cheer it up with a bottle of sparkling water, and throw in a few slices of fresh lime and strawberries.
Packers punch
A medley of everything flavorful, this one requires you to mix 1 ½ cup whiskey, 1/2 cup triple sec, 4 cups lemonade, and 2 cups soda. Spruce it up with tossing a few slices of thinly sliced green apple.
An interesting garnish tip:
Along with water or juice, add freshly cut fruit, or edible flowers into ice trays. Once ready, you can pop these very pretty looking cubes into any punch.
While you must try these delicious recipes, make sure to pour every cheerful drink in a glass bowl or jar. Happy drinking!