Parties Should Be A Treat For E, Too
Smart holiday hosts offer nonalcoholic beverage alternatives for their designated drivers and other nondrinking guests, and to dilute alcohol consumption as the party winds down.
While soft drinks, bottled waters and fruit punch will serve the purpose, they have little appeal. Instead, provide a bit more sophistication.
Presentation, more than ingredients, makes the difference. Select special glasses and punch cups, interesting pitchers or unique punch bowl replacements. Consider a colorful mixing bowl, a trifle bowl or even a fish bowl (sans its inhabitants).
Chilling and decorating the rims of glasses enhances the appeal for cold drinks. For a cold glass, refrigerate half an hour before serving. For a heavy frost, place in freezer; for an extra heavy frost, rinse in tepid water and place in freezer for a few hours.
To decorate glass rims, dampen with lemon or lime juice, then dip in coarse salt; shake off excess and let dry. To sugar the rims, dampen with citrus juice, dip in sugar, tap off excess and dry; or dip rim in water, then powdered sugar, tap off excess and dry.
One of the most effective ways to enhance presentation is to add garnishes. Prepare them ahead for less fuss during drink assembly. A tray of assorted garnishes is attractive in itself and works especially well when guests are mixing their own drinks.
Slice fruits and vegetables about 1/4-inch thick for garnishes. When using light fruits, dip them in citrus juice to prevent discoloration. If a number of fruits are available, assemble mini kebabs by threading several on sturdy picks.
Be inventive with both garnish and drink combinations. Here are a few possibilities:
Apple Cocktail
3 cups apple juice, chilled
3 cups (24 ounces) ginger ale, chilled
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Ice
In a large chilled nonmetal pitcher, combine all ingredients; stir to blend. Add ice. Garnish as desired.
Yield: 6 (8-ounce) servings.
Tamed Sangria Slush Bucket
12-ounce can grape juice concentrate, slightly thawed
12-ounce can lemonade concentrate, slightly thawed
1/2 cup grenadine syrup
3 cups (24 ounces) orange-flavored carbonated beverage
28-ounce bottle (3-1/2 cups) club soda, chilled
Orange slices or twists, optional garnish
In 4-quart nonmetal container, combine grape juice and lemonade concentrates, grenadine syrup and carbonated beverage; stir until well blended. Cover; freeze at least 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
Remove container from freezer 30 minutes before serving. Just before serving, stir in club soda. Add garnishes.
Serve in freezer container or informal punch bowl with an extralong straw for each person. (To make extra-long straws, fasten 2 regular plastic drinking straws together by making a cut in end of 1 straw, squeezing end together and inserting into end of other straw.)
Yield: 20 (4-ounce) servings.
Margarita Punch
12-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
12-ounce can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
1 cup powdered sugar
4 egg whites
6 cups crushed ice
1 quart (4 cups) club soda
Lime slices
Coarse salt
In 4-quart nonmetal container, combine lemonade, limeade, powdered sugar, egg whites and crushed ice; mix well. Cover and freeze, stirring occasionally.
Remove container from freezer 30 minutes before serving. Spoon 2 cups slush mixture into blender; add 1 cup club soda. Blend until frothy.
To serve, rub rim of glass with lime slice and dip rim in coarse salt; fill glass with punch. Garnish with lime slices.
Yield: 24 servings.
Cranberry Glow
2 cups cranberry juice cocktail
1 lemon, sliced thin
6 cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Combine ingredients. Heat to simmer, but do not boil. Garnish with cinnamon sticks.
Yield: 2 (8-ounce) servings.
Lime ‘N Nine
3/4 cup quinine water
Ice cubes
Lime slice
Pour quinine water over ice cubes in glass. Squeeze juice from lime slice into drink; add lime slice and serve.
Yield: 1 serving.
Tomato Fizz
2 cups tomato juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
12-ounce can lemon-lime carbonated beverage
Combine tomato juice with lemon and lime juice. Pour into 4 glasses. Slowly add lemon-lime carbonated beverage to each serving. Stir gently. Garnish with celery stick.
Yields: 4 (8-ounce) servings.
Sunset
Ice
1 cup orange juice, chilled
1/2 jigger (3/4-ounce) grenadine
Place several ice cubes in tall glass. Pour orange juice into glass. Add grenadine; allow to settle on bottom.
Yield: 1 serving.
Pineapple Carrot Cocktail
2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
2 medium carrots
1/4-inch slice lemon
teaspoon salt
1 cup ice
Blend pineapple juice, carrots, lemon and salt to liquefy. Add ice and blend again to liquefy. Garnish as desired.
Yield: 4 (8-ounce) or 6 (5-ounce) servings.
Brazilian Coffee
2 tablespoons instant cocoa mix
Strong coffee
Cinnamon stick
Whipped cream
Cinnamon and nutmeg
Place cocoa mix in serving cup. Fill with strong hot coffee. Stir with cinnamon stick. Garnish with whipped cream and a sprinkle each of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Yield: 12 servings.
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