Packing a punch

There’s a perfect summer cooler for everyone, with or without the alcohol

into the mix. As the iceblocks melt, the juice’s flavour will be enhanced.

BY SHERYL DIXIT

The weather’s getting warmer, the festive season’s getting closer and you’re already planning those party menus in your head. There’s an abundance of fruit in the market and it’s lovely to see watermelon and rockmelon at affordable prices. Stone fruit are making an appearance, and the aroma of mangoes is heady and exciting. With all that fruit around, a platter at a party will be the expected and done thing, but you can add to the festivities with a refreshing fruit punch. Here are a few easy to prepare recipes that will appeal to all, depending on tastes and preferences.

Coolers for kids

These easy, chilled punches are great for kids of all ages because they’re healthy and delicious. Your children can help you make them as well, as long as you don’t mind a couple of hours of cleaning up afterwards!

1 litre fresh orange juice

1 Granny Smith (green) apple

1 large navel orange

6-8 strawberries

250 ml sparkling water (optional)

15-20 ice cubes

Deseed the fruit and cut it into small cubes. Place the fruit in a bowl, cover with cling-film and place in the fridge for about an hour. Next, empty the orange juice into a large jug, add the sparking water if your kids like a bit of fizz. Add the cold fruit and ice cubes to the mix and stir. Serve chilled. Instead of orange juice, you could use apple or cranberry juice.

Cube creation

500 ml apple juice, chilled

200 ml blackcurrant juice

200 ml grape juice

10-12 cherries

1-2 plums, deseeded and cubed

1 cup cubed watermelon

Pour blackcurrant juice into a plastic cup or container and place in the freezer until it solidifies into ice. Do the same for the grape juice. Pour the chilled apple juice into a large jug, add the cherries, plum and watermelon cubes. Taking care to avoid spilling or splashing, gently add the solidified blackcurrant and grape iceblocks mum’s magic

Instead of making iceblocks, pour the juice into an ice cube tray and freeze to get smaller juice cubes.

750 ml orange juice, chilled

500 ml pineapple juice, chilled

250 ml passionfruit juice, chilled

50 ml fresh lemon juice

1 large red apple, finely sliced

1 large green apple, finely sliced

1 cup pineapple, cubed

1 cup watermelon, cubed

1 cup cherries

1 cup strawberries, halved

1 cup grapes, seedless

½ cup kiwi fruit, cubed

200 ml sparkling water (optional)

30-40 ice cubes

10-15 mint leaves

Place all the fruit in a bowl, cover with cling wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Take a large punch bowl, pour in all the fruit juice and mix gently with a large ladle. Just before serving, add the chilled fruit, ice cubes and mint. Add sparkling water if you like a bit of fizz.

Dad’s magic

50 ml white wine or vodka or gin or Schnapps (or a combination of all, if you’re brave)

Same as Mum’s magic, see above

Sunshine Sangria

Aaah, Sangria! This popular wine punch from Spain and Portugal traditionally contains wine, chopped fruit, honey or sugar and a bit of brandy. Naturally, many variations now exist from the Scottish (mostly alcohol) to the Indian (adding a bit of beer). But here is a personal favourite.

1 large navel orange, thinly sliced

1 large red apple, thinly sliced

1 cup strawberries, halved

1 cup green grapes, seedless

1 lemon, finely sliced 750 ml dry red wine, chilled 250 ml orange juice, chilled 250 ml peach schnapps or 100 ml kirsch

250 ml soda or lime soft drink, chilled 30-40 ice cubes

Place all the cut fruit into a large bowl, pour 150 ml of the peach schnapps or 50 ml of kirsch over the fruit, mix gently, cover with clingwrap and place in the fridge overnight. Pour the chilled red wine, orange juice and soda or soft drink into a large jug. Add fruit mix and stir gently. Add remaining peach schnapps or kirsch and ice cubes and stir until well mixed. Use soda if you prefer not-toosweet sangria. Brandy can also be used instead of schnapps or kirsch.

Hangover headbanger

This clear punch is for people who’re definitely not driving home after the party. And who preferably don’t have kids who’ll wake them up before noon the next day. It’s a highly alcoholic punch, the preamble to having a great, and often embarrassingly good time. But be warned to expect a pretty massive post-party headache!

750 ml white wine, chilled 250 ml white rum, chilled 250 ml vodka, chilled

750 ml-1litre lemonade soft drink, chilled

1 large orange, thinly sliced

1 medium lemon, thinly sliced

1 cup green grapes, seedless

½ cup pomegranate seeds

Lots of ice

Place all the fruit in a bowl, cover with clingwrap and chill for at least 2 hours. In a large jug, mix together the wine, rum and vodka. Add the chilled fruit and stir. Next, add lemonade soft drink until the taste of the alcohol has mellowed to your satisfaction. Use soda instead of lemonade if you prefer a tangier taste. Serve chilled and enjoy.

granny’s grog

This is a great morning-after remedy, to help recover from the headbanger headache punch. And your grandma need never know!

50 ml pineapple juice

50 ml coconut water

50 ml carrot juice

50 ml celery juice

25 ml fresh lemon juice

10 mint leaves, roughly crushed Mix together all the ingredients and place in the fridge before leaving for the party. On returning, carefully remove from fridge, stir, drink and go to bed. extreme berry

This is for lovers of berries, no matter which kind. Apart from one ingredient, this punch is healthy and fortifying, so leave out the vodka for a cool, refreshing, invigorating, non-alcoholic version.

1 litre cranberry juice, chilled

100 ml vodka

1 cup blueberries

1 cup cranberries

1 cup strawberries, sliced

1 cup rasberries

100 ml fresh lemon juice

Ice cubes

Place the fruit in a bowl. Pour half of the vodka over the fruit and place in the fridge for about two hours. In a large jug, pour the cranberry and lemon juice, and add the vodka. Stir thoroughly. Next, add the vodka-soaked fruit and ice cubes. Stir and serve.

For a non-alcoholic and slightly sweeter taste, substitute vodka with honey.