Party Beverages & Beverage Decorations

Party Punch

Ingredients:

1-1/2 qts ginger ale, chilled
5 cups double-strength tea
2-1/4 cups sugar
2-1/2 cups orange juice
1=1/2 cups unsweetened grapefruit juice
2/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup lime juice

Prepare your tea and let chill.  When cool, add to it the sugar, orange juice, grapefruit juice, lemon juice and lime juice.  Stir until sugar is dissolved.  Cover punch and chill in refrigerator.  When ready to serve, add the chilled ginger ale.  Stir to blend thoroughly.

Sparkling Pineapple Float
6 servings

This refreshing pineapple float is doubly delicious because the beverage and the ice are really "made for each other."  Serve with crisp, tender tea cookies or with your special dessert party menu.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups drained crushed pineapple - save syrup
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup cold water
2 or 3 drops mint extract
Ice Cubes
3 cups ginger ale
Mint sprigs
maraschino cherries

Directions:

Pineapple Syrup - Combine the crushed pineapple, 2 cups water and sugar  in a saucepan and set over low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Cover, increase heat and bring to boiling.  Boil syrup gently 5 min.  remove from heat.

Blend in the reserved pineapple syrup and lemon juice.  Chill 1/2 cup of the syrup mixture for pineapple ice.  Chill remainder in refrigerator.

For pineapple ice - add the 1/2 cup chilled syrup mixture to the crushed pineapple and 1/2 cup cold water and mint extract.  pour into the refrigerator tray.  Freeze until firm, stirring two or three times.

To serve - Pour the chilled pineapple syrup into a pitcher containing ice cubes and gently add and mix 3 cups ginger ale.  Pour the beverage into tall glasses, filling each about 2/3 full.  Put a spoonful of pineapple ice into each glass.  Garnish with mint sprigs and Maraschino cherries.

Sparkling Raspberry Float

Follow the directions above but omit the pineapple and mint extract.  Decrease sugar to 3/4 cup.  Sieve about 3-1/2 cups thawed raspberries and add to the sugar syrup with lemon juice.  Use 1 cup of the raspberry syrup mixture plus the cold water for the raspberry ice.  Omit cherries and use fresh raspberries or frozen thawed instead.