JUST THE RIGHT PUNCH

It has been four years of blogging about punch recipes. I cannot believe I have finally reached the bottom of the collection that my dad left me so many years ago. I am not going to post all the many single drinks that are also in the collection as I believe that is a whole other category. I also have an entire cookbook of recipes from famous restaurants that was given to my dad from different chefs. Which I could see many wanting to get a glimpse of. Well maybe in the future. But for now I am closing the chapter on theBest1-2punchrecipes and have begun work on publishing the book. It will be available to all on this blog and my website as well soon. Thank you for your faithfulness in this journey it has been an enlightening experience. I thank my dad as well for leaving the book with me and for his creativeness. Here is a review of the qualifications of just the "right punch"
(this blog was started on August 29, 2010 which is 2 days after my Mom and Dads birthday/anniversary August 27) Cheers to you both!

A successful punch is a drink with character. It is either definitely hot or thoroughly chilled. It has a pleasing tang and is never too sweet. It delights the eye as well as the taste and maintains its strength to the very last cup.  You can prepare punches in any amount. Most kinds of punch are easy to put together in terms of gallons. But a few, like the famous Planters Punch are traditionally made for one tall glass. And the fruit Sangria that's liked so well is meant to be served in pitcher. Cold punches benefit by mixing ahead and allowing to blend. For optimum chilling and strength, chill all ingredients thoroughly before placing in the bowl with ice to avoid too rapid melting and a diluted punch. Always add sparkling mixes just before serving.

strawberry ice mold

A large single ice block will not melt as quickly as small cubes. Ice molds are a decorative addition to the punch bowl They are especially attractive when the water is colored or when a pattern of berries or pieces of fruit are frozen into them.

green and red ice mold

A novel block of ice or cubes can also be made by freezing fruit cocktail or pineapple chuncks  along with their juice. You may also make the mold with one of the mixers or juice so that when it melts it does not dilute the drink.

fruit ice mold

Small scoops of sherbet can take the place of ice and at the same time, produce a decorative effect. When using take into account the sweetness they give.
A handsome punch bowl with matching cups makes an impressive presentation and one of the fancy fountains are always a hit a big events. You can always use the hollowed out watermelon for creating a "cool" looking display at seasonally appropriate events.

watermelon punch bowl

When preparing punch, use a simple syrup of superfine sugar for sweetening to insure complete dissolving. For large crowds it's ok to serve up several cups at a time, but do not do this with carbonated punches.

punchbowl with matching glasses

A festive well filled punch bowl radiates cordiality on an impressive scale. Yet it is the easiest way to provide refreshment for a large or lingering group.
Thank you again for visiting the site and I hope you always return when you are in need of just the right punch!

sssssSTEAM

Here's a fresh idea for a summer party a quick and easy meal or appetizer. Serve with pita or artesian bread. Try it with the WOK.
Steam cooking offers innumerable advantages over boiling. Steaming controls the texture and color of foods, especially vegetables. And it is more nutritious since vitamins are not lost to the cooking water.
HOW TO BASIC STEAM:
place steam rack to work and add water to just below the rack. To hold the food to be steamed, put a ceramic plate or pie tin on the rack. Bring the water to slow boil and cover.

STEAMED FISH

any fish
green onions
minced garlic
sesame or olive oil
soy sauce.

wash fish inside and out and place it on the plate. cover and steam until the fish flakes with a fork about 8-15 minutes depending upon the size of the fish. While the fish is steaming cut a few green onions in 3inch pieces and split several times lengthwise. Boil 2 or 3 tbs of cooking oil with minced garlic. When fish is done remove to serving platter, pour on the boiling oil and garnish with the green onions. Serve with light soy sauce.

STEAMED BELL PEPPER SHRIMP BOATS
3 large bell peppers
1/4 pound fresh shrimp
sherry
1 tbs cornstarch
10 water chestnuts
1 stalk green onion
halve and seed bell peppers. Slice into 1 inch squares. Arrange on a plate. Set aside. Shell and de-vein shrimp. Mariant in sherry for 13 minutes. Drain and chop. Place in a small bowl, add cornstarch. With your fingers work the cornstarch into the shrimp, Coarsely chop water chestnuts, mince green onion, including the white stalk and mix with the shrimp. Fill each bell pepper shell with a mound of shrimp and set on a plate.
TO STEAM:
put peppers on plate on rack over boiling water, cover and steam 10 minutes. Remove and serve warm or at room temperature with small dishes of light soy sauce.

PUT ON TAILS FOR DINNER

the next few posts are going to be a bit fishy...enjoy this great tutorial on how to grill lobster tails.

GRILLED ROCK LOBSTER TAILS.

4 medium frozen rock lobster tails
1/2 cup butter melted
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp grated orange peel
Generous dash of each, ground ginger,aromatic bitters and chili powder..
Thaw raw lobster tails. Cut off thin undershell membrane with kitchen scissors. Bend tail back to crack shell or insert long skewers lenghtwise between shell and meat to prevent curling.
To butterfly rock lobster tails partially thaw tails, snip through center or hard top shell with kitchen scissors. with sharp knife cut through the meat but not through undershell.
Combine melted butter, lemon juice orange peel and spices in small bowl, with pastry brush, spread over lobster meat. On a prepared grill, meat side up grill tails over hot coals for for 5 minutes. Turn shell side up and brush again with sauce. Grill until meat has lost it's transparency and is opaque.
5-10 minutes.

EASTER EGGNOG

we all think of Christmas when we hear Eggnog, but check this springtime Eggnog with a twist...yum

EASTER EGGNOG WITH A TWIST
1 quart prepared eggnog
2 10 oz packages of frozen raspberries or strawberries with syrup

flower garnish

1 6 oz can of frozen orange juice concentrate thawed

combine eggnog and orange juice concentrate in mixing bowl until frothy.  Place semi thawed fruit in bottom of punch bowl or pitcher, add eggnog mixture, stir and serve in punch glasses, float a small flower on top for garnish.
YIELDS:12

EASTER TREATS

for some reason these little guys always remind me of Easter...maybe its the ham??? In the early thirties, biscuit mix and cellophane set the "modern" pace.

PIGS IN BLANKETS

2 4 oz can of  Vienna sausages
2 cups of Biscuit mix
prepare dough for "rolled biscuits " as directed on package, but roll 1.4 inch thick. Cut in 2 1/2 inch squares. Place a tiny sausage in the center of square diagonally, overlap two opposite corners and pinch to seal, leaving the tips of sausage showing. Place on ungreased baking sheet, brush with melted butter and bake at 450 for 7 minutes or until blankets are done. Serve hot  with prepared mustard if you choose.

RHUBARB COBBLECAKE
 a homey dessert of orange biscuits on spice sparked fruit to serve with cream....mmmm

1 1/3 cup sugar
2 tbs cornstarch
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup  fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 pound rhubarb cut in 1/2 inch pieces about 5 cups
2 cups sifted flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 tbs orange zest
combine sugar cornstarch and cloves in large saucepan; stir in orange juice. Heat slowly, stirring until sugar dissolves. Stir in 2 tbs of the butter and rhubarb, heat to boiling. spoon into 8 cup baking dish,
COBBLE
sift flour, baking powder and the remaining sugar and salt into large bowl, cut in butter, mix until blended with flour ( sugar cookie dough appearance) spread onto rhubarb mixture. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes.

FROSTED RIBBON LOAF

this recipe combines both the traditional ham and boiled eggs in one dish to create a colorful refreshing alternative for Easter Brunch.

One loaf of unsliced white bread
softened butter
2-3 cups chopped parsley or chives

Ham filling
1 cup ground cooked ham
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
2 tbs drained pickle relish
1/2 tsp horseradish
1/4 cup mayonnaise
mix all ingredients together in bowl set aside.

Egg filling
4 hard boiled eggs chopped
1/3 cup chopped green stuffed olives
2 tbs finely chopped green onions
2 tsp prepared mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise
mix all ingredients in separate bowl and set aside

Frosting
4 (3oz) packages cream cheese softened
1/3 cup milk
at serving mix together till fluffy

slice the bread lengthwise into 3 layers, trim crusts from each layer, butter each layer, place bottom layer on aluminum foil ( enough to wrap entire loaf)spread all ham mixture on this layer butter side up, place second layer of bread butter side up on top and spread egg mixture on this layer, place third layer of bread on top of this, wrap with foil and chill. At serving time frost with cream cheese and sprinkle lavishly with chopped parsley or chives. Makes 10 slices.

AN IRISH RIDDLE!

this is my favorite Irish riddle...in order to get the full effect of this riddle you must say it with an Irish accent...
Why did the woman only put 239 beans in her Irish Stew? .....because if she added one more it would be 240.

IRISH STEW
first saute halved or quartered carrots and onions with cubed mutton or lamb in rendered lamb fat, then add 1 cup Irish whiskey and boil rapidly for a couple of minutes. Add 2 pints of stock and seasoning to taste. Whole potatoes go on top and the stew is gently simmered for 1-1 1/2 hours. Then the cooking liquid is poured off, degreased thickened with beurre manie  and a tbs each of butter parsley and chives before it is poured back in.

IRISH COFFEE SAUCE
1 cup sugar
1/3cup water
1 cup strong cofffee
2 tbs Paddys whiskey
mix sugar and water in small saucepan, on low-medium heat stirring constantly, until turning a golden color, remove from heat add coffee until a smooth consistency, add whiskey. serve on souffles or on vanilla or coffee ice cream.

IRISH WHISKEY CREAM
1 tbs whiskey folded into 1 pint of sweetened whipped cream, serve on mince  pie, plum pudding, fresh strawberries or folded between 2 coffee meringues

ST PATRICKS PUNCH

this one is my dad's in his own handwriting...so if you're looking for a "green drink" here it is.

1/2 pound sugar
1  1/4 quart sparkling water
1 quart lemon juice
1/5 gallon Irish Whiskey
1/2 pint dark rum
1/5 gallon Creme de Menthe (green)
fruit
cherries, maraschinos (green)
ice block
dissolve sugar in 1/2 pint water. Pour all ingredients into punch bowl with a block of ice.Add fruit and cherries. Stir well. Just before serving add remaining water
YIELDS: 35

GO HERE FOR MORE GREEN PUNCH

OR HERE

ALL THINGS IRISH

The next few posts will be all things Irish, starting with a wee bit o history about Irish Whiskey!
Of all whiskey, Irish alone is triple distilled. The raw spirit  goes into oak casks-sherry casks from Spain, rum and bourbon casks or cask of new American oak, all of which give a different shade of flavor ...there to lie and age until time and the wood have softened and matured it to a round mellowness. Age is as important to whiskey as to brandy. Most Irish whiskey is anywhere from five to twelve years old, some fifteen! Long aging is expensive but it makes a whiskey smooth, gives it a distinctive lightness and grace. True aficionados of Irish whiskey know the nuance of each and state their preferences for Jameson's, Power's, Paddy or Tullamore Dew, the Big Four of Irish whiskeys. The well tempered gentleness of Irish whiskey, it's been claimed leaves no hangover. the Elizabethan writer Richard Stanihurst further adds, "it is a sovereign liquor if it be orderlie taken"
here then are some "orederlie ways to take Irish whiskey as food and drink!

IRISH PUNCH
to restoke the inner fires after a day of skiing or skating, a football game or any other cold weather pastime.
2 slices of lemon
4 whole cloves
2 1/2 ounce Irish whiskey
hot water
sugar
Heat a good sized glass, add lemon, cloves and whiskey, fill with hot water, add sugar to taste, stir and drink!
IRISH COW
one glass hot milk slightly sweetened with sugar, spiked with Irish whiskey

THE LEPRECHAUN
one part Irish whiskey
one part tonic water over ice with a lemon

IRISH CRESTA
for days when you positively have to have a new kind of drink-
1/2 Irish whiskey,
1/4 Irish Mist liqueur,
1/4 fresh orange juice
and the white of an egg,
all shaken together

CHILLED IRISH COFFEE
is indecently rich and delicious invention of James Beard
4 cups freshly brewed coffee,
1 cup heavy cream
4 tsp sugar
1 tbs whipped gcream
ice cubes
1 1/2 - 2 ounces Irish whiskey
combine coffee, heavy cream and sugar then chill
put 1 tbs of whipped cream in the bottom of each 4 highball glasses
add 3 ice cubes
add whiskey
fill with coffee mixture
top off with another spoonful of whipped cream and dust with nutmeg or cinnamon

IRISH WHISKEY TRIFLE
a sinfully luscious dessert
sponge cake
raspberry preserves
2 ounces Irish whiskey
pureed or crushed fruit
custard
whipped cream
cut the top off of sponge cake, sandwich it back together with raspberry preserves, sprinkle with whiskey, cover with fruit, custard and whipped cream.

HAM ROSNAREE
sauted ham steaks, flamed with whiskey, served with brown sauce mixed with sauteed diced apples , 2 tbs  honey and 1/2 cup of cream.

DUBLIN LAWYER
remove the meat from a live lobster cut up
saute in butter
add seasonings to taste
flame with Irish whiskey
bathe in heavy cream
heated through but not allowed to boil
Lobsters and sauce go back into shell for serving.

the AVALANCHE continues....

bring on the appetizers, this time it's HALIBUT PATE AND CELERY BOMBAY!


HALIBUT PATE

3/4 pound halibut poached
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1/4 cup crisp cooked crumbled bacon
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tbs parsley, chopped
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp onion salt
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp dill weed
dash Tobasco sauce
flake halibut and combine with cream cheese. Add remaining ingredients, blend thoroughly. Press mixture into a waxed paper lined bowl or mold. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Unmold on serving platter, garnish with additional parsley. Serve as spread with a variety of crackers.
YIELD:3 cups pate'


CELERY BOMBAY
1 large red delicious apple
1/4 cups walnuts
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 tbs chopped pickle or relish
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp curry powder
12 stalk celery
Paprika
dice apple very finely.Add walnuts, chees and pickle. Stir in mayonnaise and curry powder; blend well. Fill celery stalks with mixture sprinkle lightly with paprika. Chill well before serving
YIELDS: 12 servings

CALIFORNIA DIP DEVILED EGGS
1 pkg Lipton Onion soup mix
1 pint sour cream
6 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 tsp lemonjuice
blend soup mix with sour cream, cut the eggs in half (lengthwise) removed and mash egg yolks. Add celery, lemonjuice and 1 cup of the sour cream mixture. Blend well. Fill egg whites lavishly. Chill. Use the remaining sour cream mixture as CALIFORNIA DIP  and serve with crackers.

THAT'S A SOME'A SPICY MEATABALL

a tried and true favorite who can say no to the party meatball...?
PARTY MEAT BALL
deviled ham adds extra spice to these saucy little beef and veal balls.
1 1/2 pound ground beef
1 pound ground veal
1 (4 1/2 oz) can deviled ham
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup soft whole wheat bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
Creamy Dill Sauce
combine beef, veal, ham, milk, eggs, onion, bread crumbs, and seasoning in large bowl mix lightly with a fork. Shape into about 72 small balls. In a large skillet add enough oil to cover bottom of pan, brown meatballs a few at a time, remove after browning until all meatballs have been browned. Drain off oil add water, return meatballs to skillet, cover and simmer 20 minutes. * Spoon into a chafing dish or keep hot server. Pour creamy dill sauce over. Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill.
*if made ahead, chill after browning and then reheat with water in frying pan just before serving.

CREAMY DILL SAUCE
make the base ahead, if you wish, ready to stir in sour cream and seasoning heat just before serving
2 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 cup sour cream
1 tbs catsup
1 tbs dill weed
melt butter in small saucepan, blend in flour and salt, cook.stirring all the time. just until mixture bubbles. stir in water slowl, continue cooling and stirring until sauce thickens and boils 1 minute. Stir in sour cream, catsup and dill weed, heat just to boiling.

MEATBALL IN SWEET CHERRY SAUCE
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 pound bulk pork sausage
2 eggs
1/4 cup skim milk
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup parsly minced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbs olive oil
1 ( 17oz) can dark pitted sweet cherries
1 tbs cornstrach
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1tbs vinegar
1 tbs lemon juice
Mix meat, eggs, milk, bread crumbs, onion,parsley, salt and pepper. Shape into 1 inch balls. Slowly brown meatballs on all sides in oil. Place undrained cherries in blender and puree'until smooth. In a pan, combine cornstarch, sugar and spices. Add pureed cherries vinegar and lemon juice. Cook over low heat until clear and thichened. Add browned meatballs and place in chafing dish to keep warm. Serve with toothpicks.
Makes about 7 dozen appetizers.