This year will be a "dry" Thanksgiving at our house. Any ideas for beverages to serve?
- Thread starter dawn_mo
- Start date
amanda_pennsylvania
Well-known member
Angel Punch
I got this from Epicurious and used it for a baby shower. It was lovely and very refreshing.
A user comment is included below. Instead of the green tea, I used the Celestial Seasonings Cranberry-Apple Zinger tea (which is decaffinated).
Ingredients
1 cup sugar syrup
1 pint lemon juice (use 1/2 cup)
1 quart strong green tea
2 quarts white grape juice
1 block ice
2 quarts chilled club soda
Directions
Combine all ingredients except soda, and refrigerate for an hour or two. Pour over ice in a punch bowl and add the soda. Serve in 4-ounce punch glasses.
Sugar Syrup
Ingredients
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
Directions
Put the water in a pan, bring to a boil, add sugar, and stir constantly for about 30 seconds our until the sugar has dissolved. To prevent the syrup from crystalizing, it is important that it dissolves completely. Reduce the heat to low.
Simmer the syrup for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool before using or storing in fridge.
Advance preparation: Make up to 3 weeks ahead, cover, and chill. Not suitable for freezing.
NOTE: Try Celestial Seasonings Cranberry-Apple Zinger instead of green tea. You don't even have to seep the teabags. The night before, put the water and tea bags (I use 5-6 for an average pitcher) in the refrigerator and it will brew in there. I have done this for years for iced tea. The cranberry zinger makes a beautiful red color, and adds an autumn flavor. AND it has no caffeine. You can substitute apple cider for the grape juice. Float lemon ,and lime slices on top. The color intensifies as the tea steeps in the fridge so you can steep it longer than overnight.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Angel-Punch-102332
I got this from Epicurious and used it for a baby shower. It was lovely and very refreshing.
A user comment is included below. Instead of the green tea, I used the Celestial Seasonings Cranberry-Apple Zinger tea (which is decaffinated).
Ingredients
1 cup sugar syrup
1 pint lemon juice (use 1/2 cup)
1 quart strong green tea
2 quarts white grape juice
1 block ice
2 quarts chilled club soda
Directions
Combine all ingredients except soda, and refrigerate for an hour or two. Pour over ice in a punch bowl and add the soda. Serve in 4-ounce punch glasses.
Sugar Syrup
Ingredients
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
Directions
Put the water in a pan, bring to a boil, add sugar, and stir constantly for about 30 seconds our until the sugar has dissolved. To prevent the syrup from crystalizing, it is important that it dissolves completely. Reduce the heat to low.
Simmer the syrup for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool before using or storing in fridge.
Advance preparation: Make up to 3 weeks ahead, cover, and chill. Not suitable for freezing.
NOTE: Try Celestial Seasonings Cranberry-Apple Zinger instead of green tea. You don't even have to seep the teabags. The night before, put the water and tea bags (I use 5-6 for an average pitcher) in the refrigerator and it will brew in there. I have done this for years for iced tea. The cranberry zinger makes a beautiful red color, and adds an autumn flavor. AND it has no caffeine. You can substitute apple cider for the grape juice. Float lemon ,and lime slices on top. The color intensifies as the tea steeps in the fridge so you can steep it longer than overnight.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Angel-Punch-102332
Check this out: Champagne Punch
CHAMPAGNE PUNCH (NON-ALCOHOLIC)
2 liters (8 1/2 cups) white grape juice (for a more intense flavour use 2 cans white grape juice frozen concentrate)
1 liter (4 1/4 cups apple juice
2 liters ginger ale (8 1/2 cups)
ice, ring
1 liter (4 1/4 cups apple juice or white grape juice) (or less)
water
1. The night before, or sooner, place the apple juice in the ice ring mold and fill with water.
2. If you want your ice ring to last longer, use 1/2 the apple juice and the rest water, as juice tends to take less time to thaw.
3. To serve, mix rest of ingredients in punch bowl and add ice ring.
Makes about 5 liters (about 21 1/8 cups)
http://www.recipezaar.com/78745
CHAMPAGNE PUNCH (NON-ALCOHOLIC)
2 liters (8 1/2 cups) white grape juice (for a more intense flavour use 2 cans white grape juice frozen concentrate)
1 liter (4 1/4 cups apple juice
2 liters ginger ale (8 1/2 cups)
ice, ring
1 liter (4 1/4 cups apple juice or white grape juice) (or less)
water
1. The night before, or sooner, place the apple juice in the ice ring mold and fill with water.
2. If you want your ice ring to last longer, use 1/2 the apple juice and the rest water, as juice tends to take less time to thaw.
3. To serve, mix rest of ingredients in punch bowl and add ice ring.
Makes about 5 liters (about 21 1/8 cups)
http://www.recipezaar.com/78745
do you have Safeway stores? their Organics brand has sparkling pomegranite juice and blood orange
and lemonade and a blueberry mix that are wonderful and very festive. they have small bottles for individual servings in a bucket of ice, or larger bottles for pouring. I love the pomegranite(with vodka and a squeeze of lime too
and lemonade and a blueberry mix that are wonderful and very festive. they have small bottles for individual servings in a bucket of ice, or larger bottles for pouring. I love the pomegranite(with vodka and a squeeze of lime too
dawn_mo
Well-known member
No we don't have Safeways here. And I miss my Ralph's and Henry's markets too.
Thanks everyone, I am going to make a punch with an ice block. I think I am going to keep it on the lighter colored side, due to kids and beige carpeting! I don't think my punch bowl made it here so I am going to have to improvise. Thanks for all of the ideas!
Thanks everyone, I am going to make a punch with an ice block. I think I am going to keep it on the lighter colored side, due to kids and beige carpeting! I don't think my punch bowl made it here so I am going to have to improvise. Thanks for all of the ideas!
patbastrop
Well-known member
I second Meryl's recommendation for the Sparkling Cider. mmmmmm refreshing!
patbastrop
Well-known member
Jamaican Sorrel -- fresh spicy flavor, and beautiful color.
JAMAICAN SORREL RECIPE
Ingredients: dried sorrel (known here as hibiscus),fresh ginger, sugar, allspice (optional)
Recipe:
6 oz dried sorrel
sliced fresh ginger, about 1/2 cup
8 to 10 allspice berries
8 cups water
2.5 cups water for re-draft
1.5 cups white sugar
Yields 8.5 cups of drink
1. Spread the sorrel out on aluminum foil or a white cloth which will make it easy to spot and remove any debris or unfit sorrel pieces.
2. After you have cleaned the sorrel pour it into a large cooking pot with 8 cups of water. Add the ginger.
3. Boil the mixture for10 minutes after it begins to boil. Remove immediately and pour through a strainer into a glass pitcher.
4. Return the remains from tea strainer and return to the cooking pot and add 2.5 cups of water. Bring to a rapid boil again and remove after 10 minutes.
5. Strain the mixture and discard the residue.
6. Sweeten with 1.5 cups of white sugar or to taste.
7. Cool then serve over ice. Refrigerate the remainder. Add water to the strength you like.
In Jamaica, we used to spike this with white rum at Christmas. I like to add lemon grass too -- especially the leaves, when I am using the white part for curries.
JAMAICAN SORREL RECIPE
Ingredients: dried sorrel (known here as hibiscus),fresh ginger, sugar, allspice (optional)
Recipe:
6 oz dried sorrel
sliced fresh ginger, about 1/2 cup
8 to 10 allspice berries
8 cups water
2.5 cups water for re-draft
1.5 cups white sugar
Yields 8.5 cups of drink
1. Spread the sorrel out on aluminum foil or a white cloth which will make it easy to spot and remove any debris or unfit sorrel pieces.
2. After you have cleaned the sorrel pour it into a large cooking pot with 8 cups of water. Add the ginger.
3. Boil the mixture for10 minutes after it begins to boil. Remove immediately and pour through a strainer into a glass pitcher.
4. Return the remains from tea strainer and return to the cooking pot and add 2.5 cups of water. Bring to a rapid boil again and remove after 10 minutes.
5. Strain the mixture and discard the residue.
6. Sweeten with 1.5 cups of white sugar or to taste.
7. Cool then serve over ice. Refrigerate the remainder. Add water to the strength you like.
In Jamaica, we used to spike this with white rum at Christmas. I like to add lemon grass too -- especially the leaves, when I am using the white part for curries.
bonnieinholland
Well-known member
sparkling
Their sparkling wine used to be terrific - I haven't tried it in a while, though. It was bubbley and appley with just the right sparkling wine zing. cheers, Bonnie
Their sparkling wine used to be terrific - I haven't tried it in a while, though. It was bubbley and appley with just the right sparkling wine zing. cheers, Bonnie