Halloween Punch... without the punch ;)

Found this under "For Kids" - http://www.webtender.com/db/drink/3099 (again, I just changed the measurements to metric)

Not sure I'd use dry ice.... The idea scares me!

Eerie Witch's Brew
Ingredients:
4 cups Cranberry juice cocktail
1 cup chopped & candied Ginger
3 Orange
350 ml frozen Apple juice concentrate
180 ml frozen Limeade concentrate
2 cups seedless Grapes
4 cups Water
2 l Ginger ale
Mixing instructions:

In a 1 to 2 quart pan, bring 1 cup of cranberry juice and candied ginger to a boil over high heat. Boil, uncovered, about 2 minutes, set aside. With a vegetable peeler, pare peel (colored part only) from oranges: cut peel into thin 2 in long worms: or use an Oriental shredder to make long shreds. Add orange peel to cranberry mixture. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or as long as overnight. Juice oranges: put juice in a 6 to 8 quart pan or heavy bowl. Stir in cranberry-ginger mixture, the 3 cups cranberry juice, apple concentrate, limeade, grapes and water. If made ahead, cover and chill up to 2 hours. Add ginger ale and about a 1 pound piece of dry ice (DO NOT put small pieces in punch or cups): ice should smolder at least 30 minutes. Ladle into cups. Add any remaining ice when bubbling ceases.

I gotta, I gotta, I gotta glass full of sunshine :)

Apparently this is a traditional South African drink? Never come across it... but sounds like sunshine in a glass :D

Pineapple Sherbet (Pineapple Smoothie)

Ingredients
1 medium-sized ripe pineapple (Canned may be substituted.)
8 cups water (approximately)
Juice of 4 lemons
Sugar, to taste

Procedure
Peel and core the pineapple. Cut up the fruit, and place it in a blender. Blend to a thick pulp. (Canned pineapple may be substituted.)
Place the pulp in a large pitcher, add the water, lemon juice, and sugar, and mix thoroughly.
Put the pitcher in the refrigerator to chill the sherbet beverage.
Just before serving, stir well. Serve over ice in tall glasses.

From a pretty cool site... check our more here: http://www.foodbycountry.com/Kazakhstan-to-South-Africa/South-Africa.html

Wavebender

Ok... so I was insulting mocktails before... but this one sounds yummy and summery :) think I need to hit the shops later:

Wavebender


30ml orange juice
15ml lemon juice
1 tsp grenadine syrup
150ml ginger ale

Pour the orange juice, lemon juice and grenadine into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well and strain into a highball glass almost filled with ice cubes. Top with ginger ale, stir well, and serve. 


Recipe thanks to: http://www.drinksmixer.com, I just converted the measurements to metric

Dry Weekend(s) & Mocktails...

Looks to be a quiet weekend ahead... my cousin postponed our girly weekend together due to work - a likely story, I suspect that she just caught wind of my challenge and decided to wait a few weeks :P

Wasted some time last night researching Mocktail recipes online... some highlights:

- Seriously, surely "rum essence" is made of rum?
- Apparently combining pineapple juice, white grape juice and ginger ale = mock champagne??? *groan*
- Adding grenadine to any fruit juice makes it a Mocktail?
- "Mint Spinach Mocktail" is clearly a summer soup served in a glass, right?
- a "Julius" is a fruity milkshake (no comment), they come in peach and orange
- a "Purple Cow" is a synthetic grape Julius"

Bottomline... think I will stick to normal fruit juice.... :-/

TGFGT :)

Thank Goodness For Gin & Tonic

Ok.... it's the last night of Suip-tember (pahahaha... just made that up) and I decided a G&T would be the perfect "last drink", accompanied by a huge platter of sushi (of course). :)

I tried to google "non alcoholic alternative to G&T" and got this answer:
Juniper Dry Soda & Fever-Tree tonic water, with a wedge of lemon and ice

*clueless* yet another recipe that's impossible to make in this country - or am I wrong? I will need to research Mocktails further...

extra reading here on why Mocktails suck

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123879740183388057.html