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!