Under the Apron Strings: Adding some Punch to your holiday celebrations

With Christmas next week and New Years right around the corner, there’s lots going on to plan and prepare for.

There are a few, easy, party planning tricks I have up my sleeve to kick up the overall presentation – making it look like a lot more work was done. My favorite party tricks have practical uses as well.

A fruity ice ring will transform an ordinary punch into a beautiful and festive party specialty. It will keep the punch cold and impart flavor as the ring begins to melt and the fruit breaks loose.

Ingredients

Fruits of choice*

Fresh mint

Round mold, 9 inches in diameter or smaller Pineapple juice*, ginger ale and water

*For Christmas, I like to pair cranberry ginger-ale punch with a cranberry-orange ice ring)

Directions

• Arrange fruit and mint in mold. Add 1 cup of pineapple juice.

• Freeze until set about 2 hours.

• Remove from freezer and add a mixture of juice, ginger ale and water to fill mold, leaving a small space between the top layer and the rim.

• Return to the freezer and freeze overnight until solid.

• To unmold: Dip mold into a bowl of hot water until edges begin to melt. (Do not let water come up over to edge of pan.) Invert mold onto a plate or directly into the punch.