One Two Punch

I am likely a couple of weeks away from my next party.  I am a bit ahead of the game so I am being planful about MY LAST SIX PARTIES (insert happy noises here).  I though I might take this opportunity to wax poetic about some of the things I have learned--often through failure- about hosting parties.  Lots and lots of parties.  First, punch is brilliant; it quenches a crowd, comes in a multitude of colors, and is less daunting than mixed drinks when you are having a large parties.  I have two favorites recipes.

Miss Mary's Non-Alcoholic Punch

3 small boxes of jello (this will determine taste and color-the only color you cannot make is blue)

4 cups sugar

16oz bottle of lemon juice

2-46 oz cans of pineapple juice

4 cups boiling water

3 cups warm water

6 cups cold water

7up or other clear soft drink

Wait!  Don't be daunted by all of the water!  First you will mix the jello into the boiling water.  Next you will add the warm water to the jello mixture and stir in the sugar until it is all dissolved.  Let this mixture cool and then add the cold water, lemon juice, and pineapple juice.  Freeze this mixture in two large containers (old ice cream buckets work well).  The original recipe says to mix one of the frozen containers (of the two that the recipe makes) with two liters of 7up.  If you set out the frozen punch concentrate about 3 hours before your party you can break it up with a knife and add to the 7up.  This will make a full punch bowl.  I often freeze this recipe in fourths versus halves if I am having a smaller party.  Sometimes I still mix the fourth with the full two liters of soda, just depends what I feel like.  Apricot jello is probably my favorite permutation of this.  I am told the cherry version is fantastic with coconut rum.

My favorite adult punch is Champagne Punch.

Champagne Punch:

3 bottles of champagne, chilled

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

1 cup simple syrup (boil 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar to dissolve and cool)

1/2 gallon cranberry juice

3 cups blueberries, frozen

3 cups raspberries, frozen

3 nectarines thinly slices, frozen

Put it all in a punch bowl and stir.  This recipe is forgiving.  In the picture above I had forgotten to add the nectarines.  Still yummy.  I have also added peaches, blackberries, and pomegranate seeds depending on my mood.  And what I remembered to buy at the market.