Minty Citrus Punch

We first sampled this fantastic punch when our friend Georgia served it up at a Bookstore signing event many years ago.  She was kind enough to share the recipe with us & it quickly become our go-to punch for Summer parties.  The fresh mint leaves pack a fragrant & delicious wallop.  We hope that you enjoy it as much as we do.

Bridget Paddock's Punch (from an old New York Times Cookbook, she said).

Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes: 

2 quarts water and

30-35 fresh mint leaves or 2-3 mint tea bags

(I used 5 tea bags for twice this recipe)

Strain mint leaves or remove the tea bags, then add:

 2 cups sugar and stir till dissolved.

Cool. Then add:
2 quarts orange juice

1 1/2 quarts pineapple juice

2 1/3 cups lemon juice

Chill well.

To serve, add to the juice mixture:

1 quart gingerale and

1 quart sparkling water (club soda or seltzer; I usually use seltzer)

Garnish, if desired, with strawberries and very thin slices of oranges and/or limes or sprigs of fresh mint, or fresh day lilies if in season.

If using a punch bowl, have ready a frozen juice block or ring, made from very diluted juice (about 1 part juice to 3 or 4 parts water. It will stay solid longer with a greater proportion of water; but plain ice will dilute the punch too much. I usually do this a few days ahead, and usually before I'm ready to do the mint-sugar syrup mixture, so I just do a mixture of OJ and lemonade, so I don't have to steal from my punch ingredients.)

If you plan to serve from pitchers, then make some of that diluted OJ/lemonade into ice cubes and have plenty to keep the punch well chilled.

This amount should serve 50 or more, depending on the size of the punch cup and how hot the day.

Enjoy!

Thanks to Georgia Hansen for the great recipe!

Linda Asks - "Are your Pewter items food-safe?"

Yes, unlike pewter fashioned in earlier days, today's pewter is 100% lead free, so it can be used with confidence!  We don't recommend using pewter for long term storage of food items as the acids found in some foods can cause pitting or discoloration of the pewter.

To care for your pewter - After each use, wash your pewter in warm, soapy water, rinse well and dry it immediately with a soft cloth. You may find that initially some of the non-toxic gray patina will wash off.   This is normal.  With excessive scrubbing you will be left with more of a polished look but over time the surfaces will dull down.  Do not put pewter in the dishwasher or microwave. Pewter dishes cannot be used over an open flame or in the oven. 

By following these simple steps you should enjoy your pewter items for years to come.

JUNE Computer Desktop Calendar

Never forget what day of the week it is with our handy 

Desktop Calendar for your home or work computer.

This month's image features a beautiful Guy Wolff Bell Jar in our Herb Garden, surrounded by fragrant Oregano. Enjoy!

Click on the above image to view a full size version that you can save to your computer.

Be sure to check back next month for a new calendar image for July.