Spirits Unlimited

Mixing a special beverage is a century-old tradition that's easy and fun. (Plus, you'll impress your friends and family with your punch prowess.) Most punches follow a similar blueprint, so all you have to do is remember these five basic building blocks:

1. Fruit first. Combine selected chilled fruit juices and flavorings. Fresh juice and fresh fruit mixes taste better than canned. They can be prepared and frozen up to one week prior to your event. Often-underused ingredients include: iced tea, pineapple juice, apple juice, cherry juice and exotic fruit syrups and nectars. Safe-bets include orange juice, lemon and lime juices as well as cranberry juice.

Though punches are expected to be sweet, if served before or during a meal they should be as tart as you dare so you do not spoil the appetites of your guests. Unsweetened pineapple, lemon, lime and grapefruit juices are particularly pleasant yet sharp-tasting ingredients that reduce sweetness. Sparkling wine, champagne, gin and vodka are very dry alcoholic additives. Club soda or seltzer adds less calories and sweetness than ginger ale or flavored sodas.

2. Spirits second. Add no more than 25 percent hard-liquor or 50 percent wine. A sophisticated crowd can take a well-spiked punch, but be sure they understand that there is hard-liquor present. Avoid scotches, bourbons and whiskey. Mixing together hard-liquors can also be problematic. Gin doesn't combine well with other spirits and certain fruit juices. It is best to use spirits that are 30 percent alcohol by volume (60 proof) or less.

When entertaining family groups that expect a spirited punch, avoid hard-liquor and instead concentrate on fruit juices combined with carbonated beverages and wine to keep alcohol content low. Don't use champagne or sparkling wine in the bulk of your recipe as seltzer gives the same effervescence. Instead, consider adding champagne as a public gesture when your guests have arrived, letting them know the punch is a special treat.

Any punch can be made less potent by adding water, soda, tea or juices - or you can completely cut out the alcohol. Today's hosts and hostesses often use punch as a non-alcoholic alternative at gatherings for designated drivers and children.

3. Top it third. Balance the rest of the punch bowl with water, soda water, seltzer, apple juice or ginger ale. Add sparkling or carbonated ingredients just before serving the punch or as guests arrive, so punch retains fizz. Soda water, seltzer and club soda have few calories and do not interfere with the fruit taste. Flavored seltzers add an exciting dynamic to a lack-luster punch, but be sure it is unsweetened.

4. Freeze fourth. Remember to keep your cool. The best way to keep the Ôpunch' in your punch to begin with chilled ingredients. Warm ingredients melt ice quickly, diluting the beverage. You can also pre-mix small batches of punch, adding them throughout the party instead of setting an enormous bowl out and ignoring it for the night.

Another way to avoid diluting your drink is to use a large block or ring of ice instead of cubed ice. For an ice block that won't dilute your punch, freeze blocks of premixed punch. To make a quick block of ice, fill 1/2 gallon plastic milk or juice carton 3/4 full and freeze. Cut or peel away container and add ice to bowl.

5. Final frills. You can also add a touch of pizzazz to your beverage by making your ice cake an ornament. Prepare fruit or flowers and arrange in mold. Add just enough water to cover ingredients and freeze. Once frozen add water to fill mold and freeze. If you want the fruit to appear in the center of the ice, add one-quarter depth water first and freeze, then follow directions above. Remove from freezer two to five minutes before needed and allow to thaw slightly. This allows the mold to slide easily from mold. Other great garnishes included citrus wheels, pineapple wedges, strawberries, mint leaves, cinnamon stick and edible flowers.

You're ready to drink.