Dash of bitters
Combine firsc three ingredients
with sugar and lime slices ina large
sducepan.
<< Bring to a boil, reduce heat and
simmer 5 to 10 niiautes.
Remove from heat and [et cool,
Strain inte large bowl.
Cover and refrigerate about |
hour.
Pour over ice mold in punch
bowl.
Add sparkling wine and bitters.
Serve immediately in wine
glasses.
Makes about 20 % cup servings.

at the plate

a WINES ARE the perfect
‘ choice for personalized holi-
day entertaining.

Good times or bad. Canadians
demonstrate their generosity during
the holiday season, and nothing
seems to melt the social ice of a
gathering more than when friends
gather around the punch bowl.
Indeed, through the centuries holi-
day punches have been the centre-
piece for festive gatherings.

Warmed ale most likely was
served as the original Old World
holiday punch. Mulled wines — the
Elizabethans called their version
“wassail" — followed. Holiday cel-
ebrants in 16th Century London
made their wassail of sweetened,
simmered, wine-flavored with nut-
meg, cinnamon and cloves. During
the 18th Century, sweetened rum
and water flavored with lemon and
orange was all the sage in England.

“ Not that the English were alone
LG in putting punch into the season.
a Scandinavians had their “glogg,” a

\ variation of mulled wine that called
for aquavit (a Scandinavian potato
liquor seasoned with caraway) with
raisins and almonds in each cup.

In Scotland, the punch of choice
was “brose,” a mix of honey, cream
and malt whiskey. Both glogg and
brose retain their popularity to this
day.

"Today's most popular punches
often begin with wine, reflecting
the current Canadian taste for the
fruit of the grape. There’s a lot to
like about wines for punches,
beginning with the fact that they're
light on the pocketbook.
Inexpensive red and rose jug wines,
along with the equally affordable
sparkling wines. provide the basis
for an almost limitless array of per-
sonalized punches. All wines are
compatible with spices, fruit juices,
~ mixers, brandies and even your
a favorite liqueur.

Converts to wine-based punches
we are quick to share their insider tips
along with their recipes. They
agree that a block of ice is prefer-
able to ice cubes, which have a
habit of melting quickly and overly
diluting the punch. An unusual ice
creation can be easily made by
te using any handy mold — try an
mee empty half-litre milk carton — to
make a special block of ice. Add
chunks or slices of fruit to water or
fruit juices compatible with the
punch, freeze and drop into the
punch prior to the event. Sparkling
wines should be added at the very
last moment to maximize the bub-
bly sensation.

To put your guests all “in the
pink” this New Year's Eve, try one

f of these punch mixes:
rind Vineyard Punch
if, 1 26 oz. bottle port
2 16 oz. packages unsweetened
frozen strawberries, slightly
thawed
1 sprig fresh mint
Sugar to taste
Lime slices
. Ice mold
i 226 oz. bottles dry sparkling wine
(try Chamdeville Blanc de Blanc
or Deinhard Lils)

Rose Punch
1 26 oz. bottle rose (try Henkell
Rose, Codorniu Rose Brut, or
Korbel Brut Rose)
1 28 07. bottle club soda

I cup lemon juice

I cup orange liqueur (Cointreau
or Triple Sec)

Ice mold

2 26 oz. bottles dry sparkling wine
(try Riccadonna Brut or Christian
Brothers Brut)

Frozen orange slices, as garnish

Combine first four ingredients
and pour over ice mold in punch
bowl.

Add sparkling wine as guests
arrive.

Serve in wine glasses, floating
orange slice in each tu keep punch
chilled.

Makes about 30 % cup servings.

Kasev Wilson is a food, wine and
travel writer, restaurant reviewer
and British Coltanbia coniriator to
Pacific Northwest: The Beautiful
Cookbook,

Wednesday, December 27, 1995 - North Shore News — 17
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