Valentine's Day Party: Beverages and Decorations
For special sparkling charm serve a chilled fruit punch or other fruit
drink as your party beverage. Refreshingly clear and colorful, party
punch is a big bowl at one end of the table which appeals to the eyes of
the guests even before they begin to sip it. Pineapple float is more of
a dessert-type beverage, just right as the feature attraction of a
hot-weather dessert party. Serve with your most delicious cookies or
small cakes.To Decorate A Punch Bowl - Make construction paper hearts and secure around edge of bowl with pieces of tape. Secure two pink carnations to ladle handle the same way. For Pink-Frosted Cups - Measure 1/2 cup sugar into a shallow pan. Tint sugar the desired pink color by thoroughly mixing in, one drop at a time, a mixture of red food coloring and water (equal amounts). Set sugar aside to dry. When ready to serve punch, rub rim of each punch cup with the cut surface of a lemon or lime. Dip each cup into tinted sugar. Decorate each cup handle with a daisy secured with a piece of tape. Place a decorative ice block in the punch bowl. pour punch into bowl. Ladle punch into Pink-Frosted Cups. NOTE: You can use Sweetheart roses or small chrysanthemums instead of daisies. For Decorative Ice Blocks - Fill a loaf pan or fancy mold one-third full wit water. Place in freezing compartment of refrigerator; remove pan or mold when water is partially frozen. Arrange flowers (roses, gardenias, or other), or fruits (small whole, pieces or slices) over the ice. Fill pan or mold with water, covering flowers or fruit, and freeze. Boiling water before freezing or stirring as it freezes helps to make the ice clear. For Decorative Ice Cubes - Fill ice-cube tray one-third full with water. Place in freezing compartment of refrigerator; remove ice cube tray when water is partially frozen. Place well-drained maraschino cherry, mint sprig, pineapple chunk, orange wedge, berry, or small piece of fruit and a mint leaf in each cube section. Fill tray with water and freeze. Sparkling Pineapple Float 6 servingsThis 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:
Directions: 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 FloatFollow 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.Holiday's Buffet Style
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.
About the authors You can see Mary Ann and Kimberly's feature on A Valentine Heart Party Here.
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