The Perfect Punch for Your Holiday Party | Women's Health Food ...

A good spiked punch is the ultimate crowd-pleaser, but it calls for vast amounts of liquor that can make the idea of experimenting (and possibly creating something foul-tasting in the process) seem a little too risky. Luckily, there?s a formula for creating the perfect punch.

According to New York-based cocktail guru Jonathan Pogash, the name punch comes from a Hindu word meaning ?five,? which is the number of elements that early mixologists determined were necessary to make a really balanced, delicious drink. They identified these elements as:

strong. i.e. liquor. You can use any kind, including wine, as long as it?s the good stuff.
weak. Juice, soda, water or other non-alcoholic mixers. Again, go high quality for a better end product.
sour. Citrus juice (freshly squeezed), bitters, and this time of year, cranberry and pomegranate juice.
sweet.? Fruit flavors, chocolate or vanilla infusions?basically anything you?d drink for dessert.
spice. A little nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, or even cardamom will finish it off and add depth to the drink.

A good general rule of thumb for mixing is one part each of strong, sour, and sweet to three parts weak (more or less, depending on how strong of a drink you want to serve), and just a touch of spice. Armed with this foolproof formula, you?ll be rolling with the punches in no time, but to get you started, here?s Pogash?s go-to party pick:

Countdown Punch
Courtesy of Jonathan Pogash

What you?ll need:
Several orange and lemon peels
Sugar in the raw
2 parts Ron Abuelo 7-year old rum
1 part Van Gogh rich dark chocolate vodka
1 part apple cider
1 part pomegranate juice

How to make it:
1.? Combine orange and lemon peels with sugar in the bottom of a punch bowl. Pour in the remaining ingredients and stir gently.

2.? Add a block of ice* and garnish with cranberries.

*Pogash makes one large block by freezing water in a Tupperware container so it melts slowly and chills the drink without diluting it much.

More from WH:
Appetizers in an Instant
Holiday Survival Guide
Great Last-Minute Gifts

Find easy ways to look and feel good fast in Dr. Oz?s book You Being Beautiful

Source: http://blog.womenshealthmag.com/food/happy-hour-make-party-perfect-punch/

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