RECIPE: POMEGRANATE RASPBERRY CHRISTMAS PUNCH

Growing up, we always had a sherbet punch for holidays and birthdays. It was simple. The only ingredients were orange or lime sherbet and chilled ginger ale, but it was served in a punchbowl making it seem so elegant. Here’s an updated, boozy version of that old school holiday favorite, make fresh and new with raspberry and rosemary.

 POMEGRANATE RASPBERRY CHRISTMAS PUNCH

INGREDIENTS

2 cups pomegranate juice

1 quart white cranberry juice

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 cups Chambord liqueur

1 (750 ml) bottle raspberry vodka

3-4 pints raspberry sorbet or sherbet

2-3 quarts ginger ale, chilled

5 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 cups frozen raspberries for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the first five ingredients in a large container. Chill thoroughly, at least 2 hours. Just before serving, pour into a punchbowl. Add 2 bottles ginger ale or add more to your taste. Scoop large scoops of the sorbet until you have enough to fill the surface. Save some sorbet and ginger ale to add in as it melts. Add fresh rosemary and the frozen raspberries for garnish.

COCKTAIL RECIPE FOR A CROWD: SWEET TEA MARTINI

This is one of my favorite cocktails to make for a big crowd. Everybody- and I mean everybody loves my Sweet Tea Martini! It's easy to make in big batches and because you control the amount of sugar you add, you can control the sweetness and the calories, too. When you use juice as a base for a cocktail, you're adding a ton of extra sugar. When you use tea as a base and you brew it yourself, you can add as little or as much sugar as you see fit. I often use zero additional sugar if I'm using a citrus flavored vodka but if I use lemon juice instead, I need a bit of sugar to balance that out.

If you use store bought tea by the gallon, I'd suggest using unsweetened tea and making a simple syrup to add to taste. If you use sweet tea, you may find it is just too sweet when you add the Pama Liqueur.

Make the tea strong and do not dilute it with water so it isn't weak when you serve the cocktail over ice. Double, triple, or quadruple the recipe as required. This version will make 8-10 based on portion size when served over ice.

SWEET TEA MARTINI FOR A CROWD

INGREDIENTS

6 cups water

4 family-size tea bags (I use Red Diamond quart tea bags)

1/2 to 1 cup granulated sugar (optional- the Pama is a bit sweet so you can use as little or as much sugar as you like)

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 bottle(750ml bottle) Pama Liqueur, chilled

1/2 bottle (750 ml bottle) vodka, chilled (you can use citrus vodka and reduce the lemon juice)

DIRECTIONS:  

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan; add tea bags. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute; remove from heat. Cover and steep 10 minutes. White still hot, add desired amount of sugar. Stir to dissolve.

Remove and discard tea bags. Allow to cool completely.

Pour tea into a gallon container or into a serving dispenser. Add ½  of a 750 bottle chilled Pama and ½ bottle cold vodka. Use citrus vodka ifyou like and reduce the amount of lemon juice.

Serve over ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

BIG BATCH HURRICANE COCKTAIL RECIPE FOR MARDI GRAS

Whether you're hosting a Mardi Gras party or just want a fun cocktail everyone will like, a Hurricane is a can't miss fruity rum favorite. Made popular at Pat O"Brien's tavern in New Orleans back during WW2 when whiskey and other liquors were hard to come by. Today, the Hurricane is a mainstay on cocktail menus around Bourbon Street but tourists line up to get the original from Pat O'Brien's in the signature hurricane glass.

Martie's Party Hurricanes 

INGREDIENTS

1  1/2 ounces light rum         

1  1/2 ounces dark rum

1 ounce fresh squeezed orange juice

1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice 

1/4 cup passion fruit juice (find it in the canned juice or International foods aisles)

1 sugar cube (about a teaspoon of granulated sugar)

1 teaspoon Grenadine

Maraschino cherries plus juice and orange slices for garnish

Ice

DIRECTIONS:

In a cocktail shaker, mix the rum, juices and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add Grenadine, and stir to combine, then add ice and shake. Add ice to a Hurricane style glass, strain into the glass. Add a dash of the cherry juice. Garnish with orange slices and cherries.

Serves 1.

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BIG BATCH HURRICANE COCKTAIL RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

25.4 ounces (1-750 ml bottle)  light rum

25.4 ounces (1-750 ml bottle) dark rum

2 cups freshly squeezed lime juice

2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

4 cups passion fruit juice

16 sugar cubes or about 1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup Grenadine

Maraschino cherries plus juice and orange slices for garnish

Ice

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients except the ice together in a large container or dispenser. Chill. Serve over ice. Makes 15-20 cocktails depending on portion size.