Ellen's Kitchen

ELLEN'S KITCHEN Cook Talk

Punch
Jill castillojill@hotmail.com 05/01/05	I need punch to go in a champagne fountain. I will be serving 350 people. They don't want champagne. Thank You
ellen 05/02/05	Please clarify, do they want an alcoholic based punch or not? What is the event? What color? What flavoe base?
Jill 05/02/05	Non-Alcoholic. Wedding. Red. Flavor doesn't really matter. Just want it to be good. Thanks
ellen 05/04/05	Hmm, try to encourage a different color, red is so hard on Sunday clothes, rugs and tablecloths and it always gets spilled. I like a non-alcoholic punch made from 1 46 ounce can apricot nectar, 1 46 ounce can pineapple juice, and 2 liters of gingerale with 1 tablespoon of almond extract added. Light, pretty and tasty. Remind the family to provide a sugarfree alternative for diabetics and other carb watchers. For a red punch, I would use cran-raspberry or cranicot for part of the juice. You can use ginger tea as a substitute for the ginger ale: 8 inches fresh ginger knobs/roots, thinly sliced 7 cups water 1 1/2 cup sugar Bring the ginger and water to boil in a medium saucepan, boil until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat, cover and steep for at least 2 hours at room temperature. Strain before use. Better when tea can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated at least 8 hours. Simple tea punch * 3 quarts water * 8 tea bags (I would use green tea) * 3/4 cup granulated sugar * 1 can (12 ounces) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed * 1 quart chilled ginger ale PREPARATION: Bring water to a boil. Steep tea in water for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags and combine with lemonade concentrate. Chill. Gently stir in ginger ale just before serving. Makes 12 to 16 servings All these punches are rather sweet to serve over ice. You need to experiment with the sweetness if the punch is not diluted. http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/cat/213/0.shtml Here is a url for many additional punch recipes.
Cindy 10/06/05	I need to know how many ounces of punch it takes to serve 300 people
ellen 10/06/05	Please check the beverage quantity page: bigpots/plan/bevmisc100.html It will be around 18 gallons plus ice.
sharon wilktitus@aol.com 11/09/05	ale Can u rec. a sub. for Ale not beer. I have a great recipe but we do not partake and I can only find subs for beer. Thanks
ellen 11/09/05	Hmm. Salty, but light and a bit sweet. If you don't want to use the non-alcoholic beers like O'Doul's or Sharps, which are pretty light already, (I would consider trying the beer substitutes), depending on the recipe, you could probably go with a dry premium ginger ale such as Cock and Bull with a tablespoon or so of soy sauce. Or possibly Mountain Dew if it was a bread or sweet recipe.
Collette 02/05/06	I looking for a punch that services 300 people for my dauthers wedding it haves to be non alcholic, no pulp, or fiz,or ice cream, it will be going in a champaine fountain and this stuff will damage the fountain there will be a meal served and chicken will be the main course her color of the wedding is peach and lavender if that helps with color or flavor any.DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS?
ellen 02/06/06	It sounds like a tea based punch, perhaps with apricot nectar would be a good choice. Perhaps green tea based. The links mentioned above have some tea-based punches.
Cathy Harrison 03/01/06	Do you have a good punch recipe for a brunch for 100 to 150. Thank you so very much Cathy Harrison
ellen 03/01/06	It can depend on the menu and the crowd. If it is a festive occasion, a champagne punch is great. Champagne, peach schnapps, apricot nectar and fresh orange juice, a cup of brandy for richness, good gingerale if you need to lighten it. You can use all gingerale instead of champagne, peach schnapps and brandy, but then I would add mango juice and pineapple juice to the fruit base. A pitcher of tomato juice base cocktail is a nice alternative for diabetics or anyone else watching carbs.
Sarah 04/30/06	Diabetic Punch I am looking for a good sugar free punch recipe for a small wedding, must be non-alcoholic, Can u help? Please. Thanks
ellen 05/01/06	Splenda or splenda based sort drinks are my recommendation doe a sweetener. You could use any of the tea-base punches above, the light orange juice now available and the splenda sweetened 7 up, for example.
Nikki 05/22/06	My sister is getting married and we are looking for a non-alcoholic punch that is peach colored that can serve around 200 people. But one of the bridesmaids is allergic to pineapple so something that does not have pineapple in it. Can you help? Thanks.
Nikki 05/22/06	P.S. The punch needs to go into a fountain. Thanks.
ellen 05/23/06	That means no pulp or fizz. I would consider the tea punch recipe above (about half way up) using the ginger tea instead of ginger ale. I would go with apricot nectar, guava nectar and mango nectar for the fruit base; tropical flavor for summer and a beatiful peachy color. Always best to make some experimantal batches and "tweak" it till she loves it.
susan 06/05/06	My daughter is graduating from 8th grade next week and I am in charge of a non alcoholic punch for around 300 people. It has to be easy to make because it will be held in the church rectory. Any help would be great, I don't care what color!
ellen 06/06/06	Be sure that all the ingredients are cold before you start mixing, use block ic instead of little cubes and check the recipes above and at cdkitchen.com. Also look at the punch page at this site: www.greatpartyrecipes.com The classic punch recipe is 1 part sour, 2 parts sweet (simple syrup), 3 parts strong (alcohol or fruit flavors) and 4 parts weak (tea, soda, etc).
Cindy 06/26/06	Punch Champagne I need a basic champagne punch recipe for use in a fountain. I do want it to be alcoholic. HELP!
ellen 06/27/06	I refer people to the champagne and punch info here: www.greatpartyrecipes.com/champagnepunchrecipes.html You would like the mimosa punch recipe.
Tina 06/30/06	My son is getting married on 7-14-06. They've asked me to supply the punch for approximately 150 people (non-alcoholic). I was considering a simple 1 (2 Liter) bottle of cranberry ginger ale with 1 (2 quart) bottle of white grape juice because they said they want it to be a pink color and I figured this would be simple for the servers to assemble. It will be served from a fountain (I assume that is the same as a champagne fountain). Can you use ginger ale or will it foam over? Is that what is meant above as "fizz"? We are having a Mexican dinner and will also have bottled water available for the guest. My son said they really want a fruit punch of some sort not tea. How many bottles of each should I plan on? Suggestions?
ellen 06/30/06	Punch Fountain Basics Most rental champagne fountains have a capacity of about 5 gallons and require a minimum of 5 quarts to operate. Beverage must be clear and without pulp, seeds, fruit, etc. Ice cream or foamy punches should not be used. Operation WARNING: A full punch fountain weighs nearly 100, THAT'S ONE HUNDRED, pounds. Avoid disaster. Use a very sturdy table. Tape (duct tape) the electric cord to the floor or carpet. If using a rental fountain, pretest with the desired punch recipe, or have a backup serving plan. The fountain requires a 115 volt/15 amp 3-pronged outlet. Use a separate outlet and a heavy duty extension cord or power bar, NOT a reglar household extension cord. Tape down the cord!!! * Position the beverage table apart from, but in sight of the food serving table. * After filling with beverage, turn unit on. If beverage does not circulate within one minute, turn switch off, wait 10 seconds, then repeat. Do not run fountain or pump dry, you can burn out the motor. * 2 The fountain warms the punch. Pre-cool beverage thoroughly, if possible to 36 degrees, before adding to fountain. Use chunks of frozen punch, ice (will dilute the punch), or cubes in a plastic bag, in the bowl * Add smaller quantities of beverage to the fountain from time to time to maintain carbonation. The punch in the fountain goes flat after 10 to 20 minutes of recirculation. *When cleaning up, DO NOT immerse the base of the fountain in water. It contains an electric motor.
ellen 06/30/06	When I said fizz, I should have said, foam, Of course you can use carbonated beverages, but No pulp and no mixes such as ice cream and soda that make a foam. Clear and sparkling, that's the ticket. I would experiment a little with your punch recipe, it will be VERY sweet. Add some lemon juice or lime juice (strained), at least. You could add some guava punch or other tropical fruit punch for interest and still stay in the pink range. You can also use straight cranberry juice or maraschino cherry juice or maraschino or grenadine syrup (available with the mixers and other bar supplies) to enhance the red color and flavor. Here is a sample beverage list for a 200 person reception: Punch: 7 gallons of the base mix, chilled overnight, 16 liters of chilled ginger ale. Factoring what amounts of beverage you need can be difficult because it is affected by the temperature, the season, what other foods are being served. Coffee : 2 pounds Tea ( 50 tea bags) Cream (2 qts.) Sugar cubes (2 lbs.) Shopping list: Sugar cubes - 2 pounds Tea Bags - 50 Coffee - 2 pounds Cream - 2 quarts For an apricot punch: Apricot nectar - 4 46 ounce cans,184 ounces. Pineapple juice - 4 46 opunce cans, 184 ounces Limeade, frozen, pulp free or strained - 6 12 ounce cans, 72 ounces Ginger ale - 16 liters Orange juice, pulp free - 1/2 gallon
Susan 07/02/06	I am helping plan a wedding reception for my nephew. I would like to have a punch recipe that would fit in with the wedding colors. HELP....the colors are cream. navy blue & gold!
Susan 07/02/06	Oops....I forgot...it needs to be non-alcoholic.
ellen 07/03/06	You absolutely do NOT want blue punch. I suggest gold- use ginger ale, pineapple juice, apricot juice. If in bowls, you could make ice rings from the punch and blueberries, or use pineapple sherbert or vanilla ice cream for chilling.
Susan 07/05/06	Thanks...that sounds yummy!
Sheila 07/25/06	I am looking for a champagne punch that would work good in a fountain for my upcoming wedding. Thanks!
gordo 07/26/06	If you looked at the other questions in this thread you would see that Ellen has already answered this question--6/06
kim 07/27/06	I need to know a cheap but tasty pink punch recipe for about 125 or so people
Lori 08/02/06	I am looking for a pineapple juice free punch recipe. Any ideas?
Lori 08/02/06	Sorry, it is for my wedding. I want a pink punch and it needs to serve 250+ people. And I messed up and got the 16oz cups instead of the 8oz, so I will need lots of punch.. please help!
ellen 08/03/06	Lori and KIM, look at the punch websites I point out further up the thread, they have plenty of recipes for you to try. Lori, look into exchanging those cups- the usual punch cup is 5-6 ounces, 1/3 that size.
BRITTANY 08/09/06	please help!!!! i am concidering buying one of those punch pountains off of ebay. it is plastic......what do u think the outcome will be i am serving punch to 150 guest. i was gona rent one but i cant find one that you can use colored punch...
ellen 08/09/06	Basically, these are champagne fountains, so the punch needs to be like champagne. Please see the directions further up this thread- it is everything I can think of about punch fountains. You can rent a heavy-duty chrome fountain for around $40 a day. Why buy?
amy 08/15/06	can you put hawaiin punch with ginger ale in a fountain? To plan for 250 guests...how much of each should i purchase? IS it about 12 gallons of hawaiin punch and 16 liters of ginger ale or am I totally confused?
ellen 08/15/06	A good punch needs some sour- you can use Hawaiian punch and ginger ale, but it will be overpoweringly sweet- read this whole punch thread and check out the punch recipes at the recommended sites. You can make really delicious punches by blending thecurrently available fruit juices and sodas. Do note that you need to add some sour to this mix, and add fresh sparkling soda about every 15 minutes as it goes flat in the fountain.
Bridget 08/21/06	I need a tropical punch for about 60 people. It is for a Luau wedding shower at my work, it needs to be pretty simple but tasty, not to sweet
ellen 08/21/06	Locally, we can get guava mango and guava passionfruit blends with 100% juice. Apricot nectar is very complimentary to thee flavors. Add ginger ale and if available, some grated fresh ginger: For each 3 quarts of juice, use 4 liters of gingerale. If it tastes too sweet to you, add some lemon or lime juice. Be sure everything is really cold before you mix it. If you want to fancy it up, make your ice ring/ ice cubes from the juice and freeze some fruit in it. Also, you can use a container of lemon, orange or raspberry sherbet to float in the bowl.
Jeremy 08/30/06	Hello, I am looking for a few idea's for a pink party punch for around 80-100 people that does not have any carbonation. :)
Jeremy 08/30/06	This is for a wedding by the way. hehe.
Jeremy 08/30/06	heh, also to be even more difficult. I do not like tea, so preferably a recipe that does not use tea or carbonation. :)
ellen 08/30/06	Hi, Jeremy, A juice base punch sounds like the solution. The two web sites above have plenty of non-tea, non-soda pink punches.
Jeremy 08/30/06	Hi Ellen, Do you happen to know the name of a couple? The only two with pink in the name have soda in them. :(
ashley 09/11/06	I am using a fountain for my upcoming wedding as well and I am looking for a clear punch that is very simple with no tea or mango any suggestions?
ellen 09/12/06	It sounds like a gingerale or seven-up based punch is right for you. Some jusices- cranberry, apple, for example- are clear. Is this what you have in mind?
Rebekah 10/10/06	I tried a small batch of the apricot nectar/pineapple/almond extract punch you mentioned on 5/04/05 and loved it. Any suggestions on where to buy apricot nectar in bulk? I'm doing a reception for 500 and this will go in a fountain. Thanks!
ellen 10/13/06	You can buy apricot nectar in the 46 ounce (big juice can) size by the case. Your local grocer may be willing to special order for you, or you can get at most restaurant supply houses.
Dee 11/01/06	I need a recipe for a peach colored punch for a wedding that is this sunday Nov.6th for 150 people. Thank You
ellen 11/02/06	My favorite in thos color range is 1 46 ounce can apricot nectart, 1 same size pineapple juice,1 teaspoon almond extract, 2 liters ginger ale. This makes just over a gallon. You need 6 times foe 100 people. Make sure ecerything is very cold.
Daisy 12/05/06	I REALLY need a GREAT Champagne punch for an upcoming home shopping festiva! Normally, I do wine....but wanted a twist this time. What is a great recipe for a fountain. I purchased one and am excited about using it. Can you make decent Mimosa's in there (using pulp free juice)...or should I skip that thought altogether and go for something else? This crew are drinkers...as an FYI- Thanks!!
ellen 12/05/06	Pulp free mimosas are a definite yes for these fountains- if you are using an inexpensive champagne, consider adding a half can of apricot nectar and a teaspoon of almond extract to eac gallon for that "mm, what'd the tasty difference?" sensation.
maricela lopez 12/13/06	need to know how many gallons of punch for 500 people. thank you
ellen 12/13/06	10 gallons per 100 people will be enough for a 3 hour event.
Janice Hutchins 01/12/07	We need a punch for about 200 people.I'm running out of ideas,it's needs to be non carbonateed and fruit free,her colors are white,black and silver.Help me please!
ellen 01/12/07	Is alcohol included? A white wine punch, or there are a lot of good rum based punches, you could use silver rum' or green tea based. In winter you could try a ginger green tea base.
Janice Hutchins 01/12/07	Ellen,no alcohol please.
Heather 01/13/07	I need a punch that is tasty and non alcoholic for a boy baby shower that will be safe in a punch fountain that we own. I really would like the punch to have a blue color to it. Any suggestions?
ellen 01/14/07	Janice, non-carbonated PLUS fruit free, PLUS alcohol free for black and silver? The only thing that comes to mind is my frappacino coffee punch. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page: www.ellenskitchen.com/bigpots/cocoa.html Heather, try one of the blue raspberry fruit drinks as a base, use ginger ale as the carbonated element and experiment with some extracts- vanilla, almond, etc, for the flavor note.
Joan 01/17/07	Hi, I was looking for a sparkling punch fountain recipe for approx. 200 people. I wondered if using pink lemonade with ginger ale would be ok. Since no pulp should be used in the fountain what would you recommend. Thanks for your suggestions.
ellen 01/17/07	Don't use a frozen lemonade- many have pulp. You could make a pink lemonade base using a raspberry-based or cherry0based juice, Minute Maid plain frozen lemon juice, which is pulp free, and simple syrup. You will want about 20 gallons punch, so experiment before you mix the final batch.
rosie 01/27/07	I got a fountain for Christmas and want to use it for the first time at our BIG super bowl party for the ladies. (Guys want beer.) What is a good receipe? They all want a good drink. I just don't want something too sweet or flat! At a wedding we had flat, sweet champagine, it was the worst! Thanks for helping!!!
rosie 01/27/07	Can I use Margaritas in a fountain? It has a 3 gallon capacity and says it can work for 4 hours continuously.
ellen 01/27/07	You can use a margarita style punch, but you MUST be sure that your fruit juices/bases are pulp free- some frozen limeades and lemonades are pulp free and some are not. Also, for a festive occasion I would invest in orange liqueur (Cointreau for example) as one of the ingredients; it makes the difference beween daquiris and maragritas. A rum-based planters punch is another idea.
josephine adams 02/23/07	Help I need a recipe for a green punch to bew used in a beverage fountain
Renee DeStefano 02/26/07	We need a punch recipe for 100 teenagers for our daughters 18th birthday party. We will be using a punch fountain. We were told that carbonated beverages lose their carbonation in a fountain.
ellen 02/28/07	Josephine check out the links in the questions above. Renee, you can use carbonated- you just have to add the soda fresh to the punch base about ecvery 15 minutes.
robin griffith 03/05/07	Looking for lavender colored punch . The appricot , pinapple , Almond extract , Ginger ale recipe sounds good but is their any way to make it lavender colored or do you have another recipe , If not where can you get appricot nectar in bulk ? Thanks, Robin
ellen 03/07/07	Experiment. Try to get a pink base and add a few drops of blue food color, Maybe use guava instead of pineapple...
tracy 03/31/07	I am going to have 2 punch fountains at our wedding reception. We are having the reception at the church. Our wedding colors are lilac and yellow. Any ideas of punch recipes we can use?
ellen 04/01/07	Hi, yellow suggests lemonade, but it must be pulp free. To compliment the lilac, consider apricot or soft pink- or what about mimosas with pulp free orange juice.
Lisa 04/01/07	I am having a Luau, I have a punch fountain and would love to have tropical look to it. Any ideas? Non-alcoholic. It is a small gathering aprox. 40 people. Can you freeze rings to go in these fountains, or will that create problems? It is not a commerical fountain.
tracy 04/01/07	How would you go about making the mimosas punch with pulp free orange juice? I will use the lemonade for my yellow color. Thanks!
Sandi 04/02/07	Pink Punch in punch fountain We need a non-alcoholic light pink punch that will be used in a punch fountain. I would like to use pink lemonade if possible. ( Any "pulp" in that? ) Any suggestions for a recipe that doesn't contain carbonated soft drinks; so I don't have to add the carbonated drink every 15 minutes? It's for my daughter's wedding and I don't want to miss other things because I have to baby sit the punch fountain! And asking someone else to watch it the entire evening is out of the question, too. Thanks.
Sandi 04/03/07	Sorry, I need to add that I can, of course, strain the pulp from any of the concentrates that might need to be added, like the pink lemonade if I had to. I just wondered if there were some other actual recipe that I might use that didn't use carbonated drinks? And could you supply that recipe. As long as I know how many people it serves, I can adjust accordingly. We expect around 200-250 guests. Thanks so much.
ellen 04/03/07	Lisa, a passion fruit or guava juice based punch , maybe with some pineapple juice added, even some coconut milk, would be deliciously tropical and a lovely color. Tracy, just get a pulp-free orange juice from the refrigerator or freezer case. Sandi, there are LOTS of punches that do not have soda, some are even tea or green tea based. Ladies, this is the link I recommend for punch recipes: www.greatpartyrecipes.com/champagnepunchrecipes.html
jane 04/09/07	Mimosas and Bloody Marys I'm giving a breakfast for 60 folks the morning after the wedding. I've got the food taken care of. I'll be offering Mimosas and Bloody Marys. How much OJ, Champagne, Vodka, and Bloody Mary mix should I buy?
ellen 04/10/07	Allow 2 for the first hour and 1 each addditional hour- about 60% mimosa- do have your coffee and tea as well, and consider whipped cream and an Irish cream liquor as another choice-
pam 04/25/07	My husband's school Santiam Christian School has a auction every year and we have a booth with drinks. We serve around two to three hundred drinks. We will be having two booths this year. The theme is Curisen with Santiam. Our gym will be decorated like a cruise ship. The want us to do a punch with canberry juice and 7 up with a orange slice on the side of cup with umbrella and a cherry. What can I use to make it taste good that is cheap!. This will be for 500 people. I will be deviding the punch between the two booths. Thanks Pam
ellen 04/25/07	use 1/2 7 up, 1/3 cranberry, and the rest frozen limeade made up according to the package directions.
Judy 05/01/07	I once had a wonderful punch recipe. I remember it having steeped tea, and ginger ale. also, cranberry juice. I have not been able to find it anywhere. Can you help me.
ellen 05/02/07	Hi, Judy. up at the top of this thread there is a steeped tea punch that you might experimant with, see if you can come close to your old favorite. I would use black tea unless I were using white cranberry juice and green tea for a pale color effect.
rina 05/02/07	apple juice with seven up was the best mix we found to serve last week to 300 people. they all loved it and wanted more.... we had two fountains, one filled with apple and 7up and the other one with plain water. totally success... those who did not want sugar, and were thirsty just went to drink water, and were happy too. when the apple juice was gone, we then added the juice from the canned peaches we served in another table, the chocolate fountains. so we added more seven up to it and had the best peach drink there ever was.
charlotte 05/08/07	I am in charge of my bosses going away reception and have been looking at punch recipes. I have plenty of orange, apple, pineapple, grapefruit and cranberry juice. Is there a simple punch recipe that I can use the ingred. I have in stock. I can pick up ginger ale or whatever I need to go with these items. Just wanted to save some money, but want a great punch for about 150 people. Midday reception and just serving cake. Non alcoholic
ellen 05/09/07	With this selection I would probably go vaguely tropical with the orange, pineapple and moderate grapefruit for sour, picking up the ginger ale and some frozen limeade concentrate. For 150, you will likely have enough with: Pineapple juice - 4 46 ounce cans, 184 ounces Limeade, frozen - 6 12 ounce cans, 72 ounces Ginger ale - 16 liters Orange juice - 1 gallon I would float it over rainbow sherbet if I liked the boss.
sherry 05/14/07	I need a punch for a Graduation party Non-alcoholic,,colors are blue and gold,, for 75-100
ellen 05/14/07	see the recipe on 7/2/06 and the discussion about blue punch on 7/3 above. You need about 6-7 gallons for a 2 hour function, 10 gallons for a 3 hour function for 100 people.
Bonnie 05/27/07	It has been suggested I use 2 liter bottles of lemonade and italian soda syrup for a punch in a fountain. Has anyone tried this ?
ellen 05/28/07	IT MUST be pulp free. You also need to add carbonated beverages every 15 minutes- it goes flat.
Bonnie 06/04/07	Just wanted to share my " punch success " . We used 2 liter bottles of chilled Minit Maid Lemonade ( no carbonation OR pulp ) with a few shots of ( Torani ) Raspberry Italian soda syrup. It was absolutely delicious ! AND easy !
Jill 06/18/07	do you know of any punch for a wedding that could be used in a fountian that is purple (any shade )
ellen 06/18/07	Just make any of the juice plus soda punches using purple grape juice for part of the juice, and you will get purple. But as I have said before, try to encourage a different color, purple is so hard on Sunday clothes, rugs and tablecloths and it always gets spilled.
Connie 07/01/07	I need a punch recipe that is pink for a fountain.
ellen 07/02/07	Connie, there are several recipes in this thread that would do, but the one Bonnie made, 6/4/07, would be lovely in the fountain.
Ariel 07/04/07	I will be getting married on July 21st. We purchased a fountain today but now we can't decide what to put in it. It needs to be non-alcoholic. We are expecting aprox 150 people. The colors are magenta, royal purpal, and yellow. We would like something that is non-carbonated, fruit based. Also can you float fruit slices in a fountain or will it cause a problem? Thanks in advance!
ellen 07/04/07	Absolutely NO pieces of ANYTHING in a punch fountain. Plan a golden punch- kinder in case of spills. See the very first recipe on this page (5/4/05). You have to chill everything well before putting in the fountain. You have to add the soda every 15 minutes or so to keep it fizzy. Read through this thread and you will get more ideas.
ellen 07/04/07	You can use ginger tea or green tea instead of ginger ale for a tasty non-carbonated punch.
Becky 07/23/07	I need a non alcoholic blue punch for a wedding reception of about 200 people. The color is NOrth Carolina blue. Any suggestions.
ellen 07/24/07	I have commented further up the thread about blue punches- but if you must, the only way I know of to get a true blue color is with blue koolaid in your base, blue food coloring, or one of the blue raspberry punches. Use a lemon-lime/clear soda for your soda, white grape juice and/or white cranberry juice for your juice base, proportions as in any of the punches described above. Always best to make some experimantal batches and "tweak" it till you love it. This will permanently stain anything it sits on-
Erica 07/27/07	I am looking for a pale pink punch for my wedding reception. All the ones we have tried turn out dark pink and we would like pale. It is for about 150 people, non-alcoholic, and something that would work in a fountain. Thanks so much!
ellen 07/27/07	Try using guava juice/nectar as the base- lovely pale pinkish color. Also look at passion fruit.
Renee 07/27/07	A friend told me about a punch that's cheap to make but I think I can do I cheaper but worried about the end results. It's 1gallon of bottled or fountain pink lemonade to 1 quart pineapple juice and ginger ale or sprite or 7up. I was going to use sugar free pink lemonade from (Wal-Mart brand) in the canisters with 6 tubs in it which makes 3gallons per canister(and cost only$1.76) and pineapple juice and a lemon-lime soda from (Aldi's which is only 55 cents for 2liter).Do you think these cheaper items will effect my punch? And I was going to freeze 2 rings with the pink lemonade,cherries,pineapple chunks and grapes. ANY ADVISE WOULD GREATLY HELP. WEDDING IS IN 8 DAYS.
ellen 07/27/07	DO NOT use the powdered lemonade mix! Use a frozen concentrate or a bottled lemonade made from real lemons. The lemon lime soda is fine. The ice rings will be lovely. Freeze partially full, then place the fruits, then fill the rest of the way. Be sure the ingredients are all chilled before you mix, the ice rings alone will not chill the punch.
Janice 08/10/07	Punch-ingrediants needed - non alcholic punch for Simple but tasty - having SInging Angels and will be serving punch and cookies for at least 300 people
ellen 08/10/07	Janice, there are a half dozen punch recipes and also links already posted in this thread- just read through and pick one. You want 8-10 gallons per 100 for the frist two hours, Be sure everything is very cold before mixing, otherwise it will never cool down as you would like it-
linda 08/21/07	I need a punch receipe for a champange fountain that want foam.I'm serving 150 people.I tried before and had a foam mess. the colors are black,ivory,pink.mauvea&purple.
ellen 08/22/07	Linda, if you don't use soda or any dairy, you are less likely to foam. You don't say what you used before? Go for a pale pink with guava and passionfruit- write back what did not work last time.
Alison Brown 08/28/07	minute maid pink lemonade I would like to know do you sell pink lemonade in bottles or cans i prefer bottles and is it minute maide. from Alison
ellen 08/29/07	Allison, I don't sell these. You can special order them at no extra xharge at your local grocery store- they will order you cases of 24 bottles.
Ashley 09/10/07	I am wanting to do a punch fountain for a party. Can you put sherbert in a punch fountain?
ellen 09/11/07	No, no, no. Foaming is very bad and that is what sherbet causes in a punch; and some flavors such as pineapple and some limes and orange flavors even have chunks.
linda 09/16/07	The punch i made before was mixed with orange juice, pineapple juice and 7-up.what is guava ?and what kind of passionfruit? and where can i find it. and what else do i need to mix with it? thank you for all your help.
ellen 09/16/07	Guava is a sort of tropicel-peach flavor, passionfruit a bit more tangy, and they are widely available in both the refrigerated and bottled juice sections at large groceries.
BARB REWEY 09/26/07	Ellen, can you use a punch fountain, for Bloody Mary's? And if so, got a recipe? Am planning on a brunch for our 40th Anniversary & thought Bloody Mary's would be nice. Any other ideas for this brunch welcome too. Thanks!
ellen 09/26/07	Of course the obvious choice for that fountain for an anniversary brunch is mimosas, with champagne replenished evry 15-20 minutes and pulp-free orange juice. I would probably put the bloody mary's into pitchers, tomato juice can be pulpy), not to mention the cascading red, erh, bloody appearance and the spill and spatter issue with fountains...
ellen 09/26/07	Look at the do it yourself brunch thread from August for some great recipe ideas.
SHERRY 10/06/07	I AM LOOKING FOR A NICE RECIPE FOR A "GIRL" BABY SHOWER PUNCH. WE HAVE A ELECTRIC LITE UP FOUNTAIN AND THE RECIPE THAT I HAVE WON'T WORK BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE FROZEN BEFORE WE USE IT. AND WE CAN'T USE A FROZEN PUNCH RECIPE WITH THE FOUNTAIN. I DON'T GUESS WE CAN ANYWAY!! I HAVE NEVER USED AN ELECTRIC FOUNTAIN BEFORE! THAT IS WHAT MY DAUGHTER WANTS THOUGH AND SHE IS THE ONE THE PARTY IS FOR!!! LOL!!! SO, DO YOU HAVE ANY STRAWBERRY FLAVOR RECIPES OR ANY THAT ARE DELICIOUS AND THE COLOR WOULD BE CLOSE TO PINK AS POSSIBLE? IT DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE PINK BUT THAT IS WANT I WOULD LIKE FOR IT TO BE! THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I AM HOPING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.. THE SHOWER IS OCT.20th. sherry
ellen 10/07/07	There are LOTS of pink juices now, you just need one for a base. A caterer friend took my suugestion to you a pulpless frozen lemonade, add Torani rasperry syrop (easy to get at World market, other fancy grocery places) and got a delicious pink fountain punch. Read the ino on fountains on the chocolate fountain page.
Audrey 10/09/07	Hi...I am looking to make an alcoholic punch for a Halloween party which I don't think has been mentioned anywhere above. Anyone know of a good recipe that would work that has a good Halloweenish color (dark red, green, etc.)?
ellen 10/10/07	How about a mulled red wine or gluggwein steaming in a crock pot? If this is an idea you like, write back and I will post a rcipe?
cindy 10/14/07	I have read all posts and am really feeling confused now. Could it be because the wedding is in 6 days??? I had planned to do straight Asti Spumanti in the champagne fountain and a white/clear punch for the kids. Am I correct in understanding the Asti will go flat in 15-20 minutes? Yikes! What do I do to avoid this?
ellen 10/14/07	Yes, it loses its sparkle in under 20 minutes, you need to keep adding to it at least every 15 minutes. You can slow the flattening a bit by making sure it is really cold. But the main hing is, at first you keep adding because everyone is drinking, then they get cheerful and don't notice as it flattens out... Put someone besides yourself in charge of this, and have a lovely day.
Krisha 10/16/07	I am looking for a Non-alcoholic punch for a halloween party. Any ideas on a lighter orange punch? thanks!
ellen 10/17/07	Any of the tropical punches (apricot, guava, etc) with 1 package of orange koolaid added for color will give you a tasy orange punch.
lorraine 10/19/07	i am looking for a clear/golden punch to use in a fountain for my parents 50th wedding annivesary celebration....i really don't want to use pineapple juice....i was thinking about apple juice....something fallish...can you help me please...i am stumped.
ellen 10/19/07	There are a variety of interesting gold and white juices available now- white cranberry, white grape, pear blends, to name a few. Ginger ale, champagne or asti spumante for the sparkle, or possibly sparkling cider, but you have to work hard to overcome the sweetness of the apple juice. So get a few bottles and experiment.
Debbie 11/02/07	My son is getting married in a small wedding here at home in the early evening December 31st. They are wanting a "White Winter Punch". My idea was to use a 7-up, with a white grape & vanilla ice cream...but this sounds sweet & heavy. Serving 30-40 people. Non-alch. Ideas for a white punch? Thanks!
ellen 11/02/07	Try the white cranberry, it is not as sweet as the apple or grape. Of course lemon juice can be used to cut the sweetness further. Then you might consider using part straight sparkling water instead of all soda. An almond/orgeat syrup with sparkling water would make a more unusual punch, and you could whiten with milk or half and half instead of ice cream- you have some time to experiment, so try some different things and enjoy.
Marnie 11/18/07	non-caronated punch I am looking for two punch recipes. 1 with alcohol for a December birthday party (about 20 people), and one without alcohol for the same event. I am also looking for ideas for non-carbonated punches. I have seen alot of recipes that call for 7-up or Ginger Ale. Any ideas on alternates
ellen 11/18/07	My Dad made French 75's (brandy and champagne) for my mother's birthday... Or what about, for December, spiced hot wine punch and mulled cider? Anyway, there are non carboneted punches, alcoholic punches and links to dozens of both up this thread- if you don't see womething you like, write back.
Lorinda 11/20/07	I am making punch for a wedding in a couple of days. We are using a punch fountain. I have heard that you can not use ginger ale in punch recipes that you are putting in a fountain, as it will make it fizz and bubble too much. Is this true? Can you just cut down the amount of ginger ale and add more juice or water?
ellen 11/20/07	Mainly the fruits and dairy items and pulps make the foams, champagne or soda are ok, they just go flat fast- read the rest of this thread for more tips.
suzanne 11/26/07	Punch WITH Alcohol Hello, I have my own party champagne fountain, and have used it for margaritas and champagne but I am looking for a recipe for a punch that can serve roughly 200 people and it must have alcohol. There is no colour preference, it is for the holiday (this Sat 12/1/07) but we try and steer clear and avoid the "red mouth syndrom" that happens with the fruit punch concentrate colouring. Any suggestions?
ellen 11/26/07	There are MANY delicious and sophisticated alcoholic punches. What kind of budget are you working with? Can you afford some brandy and rum per person? Be sure that all the ingredients are cold before you start mixing, use block ice instead of little cubes if pouring over ice and check the recipes above and at cdkitchen.com. Also look at the really EXCELLENT punch page at this site: www.greatpartyrecipes.com The classic punch recipe is 1 part sour, 2 parts sweet (simple syrup), 3 parts strong (alcohol or fruit flavors) and 4 parts weak (tea, soda, etc).
Misty 11/28/07	I need a light colored pink punch to make at a three year olds birthday party non alcholic and easy to make serve about 40 people thank you.
ellen 11/28/07	I would use white grape juice plus cherry or raspbarry to the sufficiently pink color plus 7-up. 3 year olds are not very adventurous.
Pat 12/08/07	I need a non-alcoholic punch for a Christmas open house to serve 300 people. Can you help me, the party is Dec. 16th. Thank you
ellen 12/08/07	This christmas, you might enjoy to check out www.greatpartyrecipes.com and also the LDS party pages: www.mormonchic.com/recipe/recipebox/pages/punch.asp
Anne 01/10/08	Is there any other acceptable way to serve punch other than a punch bowl or a fountain? I am serving 300 people and that requires about 6 bowls and I was not planning on renting a fountain. Thank you.
ellen 01/10/08	Never thought about that one. I suppose pitchers and glasses on trays at several stations would be an option, or you could have lots of servers passing trays of filled glasses...
Chrissie 01/26/08	My sister is getting married this June. Her wedding colors are light blue and silver. We are needing a punch recipe that is simple and good and will work with the requirements of the fountain we are renting. Non-alcoholic too! THANKS
Chrissie 01/26/08	P.S. It is for a 7 gallon fountain.
ellen 01/26/08	A recipe using one of the blue rasperry juices is an option, but blue drinks are not as attractive as you would imagine. Consider instead one using white grape (sweet) or white cranberry as the juice base. See the links in the thread above for MANY punch recipes, and just pick one with no foam and no pulp. You need at least 2 gallons in that fountain. If you use caronayted beverages be sure they are well chilled and added about every 15-20 minutes- they lose their fizz. Also, please see the chocolate fountain page for some specific info about set-up, management and cleaning of the fountains.
johnsonjunior 01/26/08	My introdution Hi all. Your site www.ellenskitchen.com is very suitable. I think I've found my constant comunication place :) Sorry if wrong branch
Betty 01/28/08	I have enjoyed your site, but I have a question, I am serving 150 for a morning corporate press conference. I am planning on using the white grape juice and sprite. I plan on about 10 galons of juice and 10 sprite with fruit ice rings do you think this would work and be enough. There will be cake and light appitizers.
ellen 01/29/08	Hi, Betty, I have two immediate responses: COFFEE sugar-free option White grape juice and sprite is going to make a VERY SWEET kid-level sweet punch. I would experiment with the recipe, using white cranberry juice, lemon or lime juice, etc. There are lots of good punch recipes in the links sprinkled through this thread. For amounts check the beverage planning page and then add at least the dinner level coffee optioBe sure everything is very well chilled before blending- nothing worse than warm punch.
dorothy 02/19/08	I was looking for a non alcoholic punch recipe that would be silver in color for a silver wedding anniversary Is there any such thing. THanks
ellen 02/19/08	Dorothy, the closest I think you can come to silver would be clear- using white cranberry juice and lemon-lime soda, for example. Is this what you have in mind?
middle schooler 03/03/08	Blue punch Hi ellen. I am entering a contest soon for inventive food (such as scenes made of food, dresses made of food, etc) and need some advice on what to use for water on the project. I would like it to be light blue, but green would be OK with me. (as long as it looks like water.) Thanks.
middle schooler 03/03/08	blue Punch P.S. No fountain....just a large bowl with some fancy animal shaped garnnishes floating in it. Really, no big deal.
ellen 03/04/08	I would use some of the new blueberry juice as the base, well diluted with clear blueberry flavored soda.
VICKI 03/31/08	I am wanting to make a slush punch using Koolaid....I am trying to get a shade of purple but wondering if i should grape koolaid or a mixture of a couple different koolaids or perhaps even a gelatin.....Please advise...
ellen 04/01/08	If it is for teens, grape is OK. For a more grown up flavor, if you are making a large enough amount to use several flavors, use the blue raspberry plus cherry or strawberry (more raspberry) and be sure there is plenty of lemon juice in the mix.
Karen 05/10/08	I like a non-alcoholic punch made from 1 46 ounce can apricot nectar, 1 46 ounce can pineapple juice, and 2 liters of gingerale with 1 tablespoon of almond extract added. Light, pretty and tasty. Remind the family to provide a sugarfree alternative for diabetics and other carb watchers. This is the punch we would like to make for our shower next week, however I am having difficulty accessing just how much to have on hand for 30 people. If someone could help me..
Karen 05/10/08	PS This will be a punch used in a fountain....We should be freezing what ahead of time to make a cool punch that won't be diluted? Any other suggestions or tidbits you may offer would be GREATLy appreciated. We have never used the fountain before. ( it's in the box! )
Karen 05/10/08	I just heard that the 2 local grocery stores do not carry the apricot nectar. I suggested guava or passion fruit as indicated in the thread. I put those in the same category as the apricot nectar though....any suggestions if we can NOT locate the nectar? The gal started purchasing pineapple juice and gingerale. THANK OU!!!
ellen 05/12/08	For amount see the beverage planning page- party punch non-alcoholic, and use 1/3 the amount for 100. Get the fountain out of the box and run it for at least 2 hours, you can use water, to make sure it works. Can you get the flavoring syrups for coffees and Italian sodas? Maybe at your local liquor store or coffee house if not the grocery. You can use a fruit flavor syrup plus club soda (1-2 cups syrup for 2 liters soda) as part of the liquid in place of the nectar. If you do, get some pulp free lemon juice to correct the sweetness. Hispanic/ Latino shops always have these fruit nectars, also. You must NOT NOT NOT put anything chunky in the fountain, not even ice or slush. See the discussion about why in the chocoalte fountain article. Chill all the ingredients thoroughly (for example, pack in ice in a cooler overnight), and add cold to the punch bowl.
l.s. 05/12/08	Need a simple receipt using punch and soda. Something for both adults and children. Need punch to be lilac or blue. It seems that lilac would be safer than blue as far as tinting -right? How much of each ingredient do we need for 200 people?
ellen 05/12/08	You can judge amounts from the plan for 1oo beverege planning list, see the discussion about length of time, etc. For lilac, I would use a mix of white grape juice, pink lemonade and red and purple grape juice as my juice base.
Jean 05/19/08	Blue Punch I am looking for a punch recipe using Hipnotiq or some other alcohol that would give me that shade of blue. I tried mixing it with pineapple juice, but it turned it a bad shade of green. (I should have known.) This will be used in a fountain. I know you mentioned that blue is not as pretty as one might imagine. Even this aqua blue? Thank you!
ellen 05/20/08	I am not familiar with the flavor of hypnotique. What I would do to preserve rthe color is use the clear fruit sodas, such as clearly Canadian as the rest of the punch.
ellen 05/20/08	Keep in mind that you can also use blueberry juice and any of the flavored vodkas, such as raspberry, as your punch base.
Autumn 05/29/08	Hi, i need a receipe for a Blue colored punch- we are having a Blues Clues Themed birthday party for my daughter- shes turning 2-- there will be a mix of ages,children,adults- so something everyone could enjoy- its more like a birthday party/bbq- I have looked online and the same reciepe keeps coming up- it doesnt sound bad, i just wanted anpther option or two-- We are military stationed oversees so access/availability to some things can be hard-thanks-
ellen 05/30/08	One option for blue punch when you can't get the blueberry juice is simply a clear punch (white grape juice and club soda or 7 up, for example) with blue food coloring.
Karen 06/11/08	I feel "out of the loop". I'm only familiar with reconstuted lemon juice. Is lemon juice concentrate frozen or bottled? thanks
ellen 06/12/08	Yes, lemon juice not concentrate is sold frozen; made by Minute Maid, in the juice section of the grocery freezer. And concentrate is also sold dry as a powder or crystal. There are a lot of very convenient items only available at restaurant supply type stores and other suppliers: I buy honey powder and vanilla powder, for example, on EBay from PADutch.
Tahirah 06/20/08	My coworkers and I are throwing my our boss a 50th birthday party at work. We're all bringing finger foods and my dish will be cheese and pineapple cubes. What type of punch do you this should accomodate my dish and are there any neat tricks I could add to the punch to spruce it up? Thank you
ellen 06/21/08	I would go with the mango/guava/passion fruit juices that are now available as the base, use ginger ale instead of 7 up and add a little almond extract to the mix. If using a punch bowl, ypu might pour it over pineapple sherbet instead of an ice block.
Tahirah 06/21/08	Thank you. Now there are about 20 people that are going to be present, so how much of each do you think should be used. I'm not sure of the serving sizes. Thank you for being so helpful.
ellen 06/22/08	2 gallons will leave some left over. 1 gallon ginger ale, 1 gallon juices. 2 containers of sherbet, used 1 at a time. Make SURE everything is very cold before mixing- store in an ice chest if you have no other choices. Have 1 or 2 2 liter bottles of sugar free soda for the non-carb folks.
Ashley 06/24/08	I am having a jewelry party and was wondering if there was any way to make silver punch and gold punch? I will be serving about 40 people. Thank you.
ellen 06/24/08	Yes, you make a clear punch using white cranberry juice and the clear fruit sodas, and a gold punch using white grape juice and/or apple (or any of the gold colored juices) and ginger ale.
Benet 06/25/08	I need to know how much to purchase to make punch for 300 at a wedding reception. We want to have a sherbert punch. I also need help estimating the food, cake, nuts,mints,finger sandwiches, dip, etc.
ellen 06/25/08	Benet, all these items are covered in detail in the tables and articles in Big Pots. For example, totals on beverages needed for 100 are in the beverage planning table, and you multiply times three. Since I posted all the tables, I rarely do original estimates. I ask my readers to plan their menu, make their own intial estimates and post them starting a new thread (don't stick it at the bottom of "punch".) Then I will check it and give you comments. You need to include the time, number of guests, and type of cooking and serving facilities. I suggest you read the article on "wedding dinners" under the button of the same name on the main cook talk page before proceeding. 300 people is more than double what I recommend for self catering for an inexperienced planner, you may need to consider cutting down the list. And if the budget is restricted you may want to schedule the time of the wedding for AFTER lunch, so you can have a tea/reception instead of a full meal; or change the timing of the event to after dinner for a dance or dessert only reception. This cuts the costs by 1/3 to 1/2.
Amanda 08/01/08	I've been asked to make punch for a wedding. They will be using a fountain, but the requested punch contains orange juice, lemonade, limeade, and 7-up. Can these ingredients be used with a fountain? Thanks!
ellen 08/01/08	If you get PULP FREE oj, lemonade and limeade, you will be fine. All are available or make-able. No chunks/ pulp and no foam, is all.
carol 08/09/08	I am providing the champagne punch for 150 guests. Plus one without champagne. How much punch will I need to make of each?
Carol 08/09/08	I would like to make a champagne punch with white grape juice. How much juice will I need per bottle of champagne?
ellen 08/10/08	Carol, I can't help on the split; this varies hugely from crowd to crowd, depending on ages, time of day, religious background etc. The strategy here is to purchase the champagne from a dealer who will let you return unopened bottles, chill without wetting labels, and open as you serve, not ahead- you would want to do that anyway. See the beveage planning page for guidance on ampounts for 100. then make 1 1/2 times that amount for the champagne punch. Allow about 1/4 the amount for the alcohol free punch. Try about 1/3 juice. 2/3 champagne. This might be too sweet. Experiment first with adding some pulp free lemon or lime juice. There are many recipes at the various links listed above.
Christa 08/15/08	I have scrolled through this entire post but might have missed it, so sorry if I am stepping over covered areas again. I am holding my wedding reception in a few days....I know....LAST MINUTE punch planning. I have been searching and can't find anything I like for a 'children's punch'. I will be using 2 beverage electric fountains....one for adults with alcoholic martini punch.....one for children with non-alcoholic. The color of the adults will be reddish-dark pink color. I would like something very simple and easy BUT a different color than the adults punch so we can easily spot if a child mistakingly goes to the wrong fountain. Each fountain holds 2.5 gallons. Any suggestions for the children's low maintenance punch and NOT red in color??? Thank you so much!!!
Christa 08/15/08	I would like to add that these punches will not be the main drinks, although the adults alcoholic punch will be the only alcohol. Other drinks will be served such as sparkling apple, water bottles, soda, juice boxes for the kids, tea, coffee, etc. Our reception is on a Sunday at 1pm, so we don't need to offer much alcohol.
ellen 08/15/08	It sounds like something along the lines of the apricot punch near the very top of this thread would be about right, or you could go with a pulp-free lemonade made with soda/ seven up instead of plain water. Either one would be kid-friendly and obviously different from the adult punch.
Christa 08/15/08	Thank you very much :) I LOVE this board and these threads. I have been reading for weeks for ideas and help, as I am doing all my own food with the help of my father in law and a few friends. This is an AWESOME board!!! Thank you for taking the time to do this for people like us who have a hard time with our own ideas. God Bless!!!
Viki 08/17/08	I'm doing a wedding reception for 320 people. The couple want punch (in a fountain), iced tea, cold drinks, and coffee served. I know that I would normally need around 30 gallons of punch,but with the additional beverages, what would you recommend for each. There will be a buffet dinner served along with the wedding cake.
ellen 08/17/08	It isn't clear what/ how much is involved with "cold drinks". I would do dinner coffee for 300, PLUS punch for 200, iced tea for 200. I would get back with them on the "cold drinks"; do they mean sodas? Will these be poured glasses, or is this an informal walk around type meal where people will want cans? I would supply diet or sugar free as well as regular, but the amount can't be estimated without more info.
Viki 08/17/08	Sorry - I did mean sodas. We're thinking poured glasses with a variety of dark, light, and diet drinks. How many sodas should we plan for? Thanks for the other info.
ellen 08/17/08	I would buy 2-liter- about 10-15 per 100- you need to allow 1 pound ice per person. Buy where you can return the unopened, unused.
Viki 08/18/08	This is so helpful! I have prepared for large groups of 200+ before, but never for over 300. I'm a little nervous and want to make sure I have enough of everything. If you don't mind, what do you think of my other calculations: 3 Gal. Potato Salad per 100 4 Gal. Baked Beans per 100 14 Bags Lettuce (48 oz ea) 4 pieces Fried Chicken per 3 people 30 LBs Ham per 100
ellen 08/19/08	I would allow 4 gallons potato salad per 100, and you need several pounds of additional vegetables per 100 fer the salads (see the plan for 100 list). The ham is OK if you pre-slice it thin and it is cooked boneless weight.
Eileen 09/12/08	Punch for wedding shower I have been asked to make the punch for my future daughter in laws shower. Her mom has a fountain she would like to use but also mentioned champagne. Can you use Champagne in a fountain? Where can I find a good simple recipe. Help, the shower is in a week!!!!!
ellen 09/12/08	Champagne is fine, you just have to add it every 15 minutes or so, as it goes flat. Mimosas, 1/2 pulp free orange juice and 1/2 champagne , are always popular. French 75's, 1/2 champagne and 1/2 brandy, make a very strong punch- you would need coffee on the side. There are many champagne punches in the links I have posted, also, and champagne can be used in any recipe calling for ginger ale. Make sure everything is really cold before adding it to the fountain.
lynne b. 10/10/08	my grandmother used to make a punch for the holidays that included pink lemonade, sherbet, strawberries, gingerale, orange juice. do you have something that resembles this? please help
ellen 10/10/08	There are recipes on this thread and in the links on the thread that include these ingredients.
lynne b. 10/10/08	i'm sorry but i didn't find anything that i was looking for. if you don't have any other suggestions, it's ok. love your page.
Kim 10/16/08	My daughter is getting married on the 25th of Oct. We borrowed a punch fountain from a friend that holds 2.5 gal of punch. The wedding has a fall theme. Mums and fall leaves are the decor. The wedding party will be wearing burgandy. We are serving cake, cookies and candy as refreshments. I need a suggestion for a dark colored (not brown) punch that isnt too sweet. I am not a fan of ginger ale but maybe I wont notice in punch.
Kim 10/16/08	Sorry I forgot, non alcoholic. Thanks
ellen 10/16/08	Fall and burgundy just seems to call out for cranberry or pomegranate as the juice base. Now that they make MANY fruit flavors in clear soda water (clearly canadian is one brand), you don't need to stop at gingerale. Experiment using 1 part juice, 1 part soda (lemon?lime? berry?), and pulpfree lemon or lime juice for tartness.
Kimberly 10/17/08	I'm looking for a non-alcoholic punch for a boy baby shower. I would like it to be blue. Any suggestions?
ellen 10/18/08	Use one of the blueberry juice based juices as a base, get the blueberry flavored clear soda for your sparkler- then do any standard punch recipe.
Dorothy 10/29/08	I have lost my recipe for "Yummy Punch". It included Sprite, almond flavoring, sugar,water and then either orange juice and lemonade or pink lemonade, I can't remember. Any suggestions
ellen 10/29/08	The one I use doesn't have the sugar... 1 can frozen orange juice 1 can frozen pink lemonade 4 cans (from the frozen stuff) of water 1 tablespoon almond extract 1 liter sprite or 7-up But I think it is improved by adding a can of guava or apricot nectar.
ellen 10/29/08	Here is a different, slushy punch al;so called "yummy punch" Yummy Punch This slushy punch recipe was handed down to me from one of the officers in club when I became officer to use at our parties. 1 large box cherry jello 40 oz. of pineapple juice 1 cup lemon juice 1/2 oz. almond extract 4 cups sugar 4 liters ginger ale Boil jello with 2 cups of water in a large pot. When jello is completely dissolved, add pineapple juice, lemon juice, almond extract, sugar and 2 quarts water. When sugar is completely dissolved, put mix into gallon-sized freezer bags. Freeze for at least 24 hours. To serve, combine with 4 liters of ginger ale to make a slush.
selina 10/30/08	PLEASE HELP!! I was just given a last minute task for my best friends wedding, she will be wed in this saturday meaning i have less then 48 hrs for this... I need a great punch fountain recipe, non-alcohoic, that wont go flat ( non-carbonated?) for about 200 people, the colors are red white and black. not super sweet but also not bland like tea. so red would be my pick for the punch and i understand it can be messy but i think it looks very pretty :) if you can please help me out today or by tomorrow morning I would be EXTREMELY appreciative. feel free to email me too, i will be checking it regularly through out the day:) thanks again
ellen 10/30/08	As said in the first posts on this thread: "I like a non-alcoholic punch made from 1 46 ounce can apricot nectar, 1 46 ounce can pineapple juice, and 2 liters of gingerale with 1 tablespoon of almond extract added. Light, pretty and tasty. Remind the family to provide a sugarfree alternative for diabetics and other carb watchers. For a red punch, I would use cran-raspberry or cranicot for part of the juice." For amounts, see the beverage planning page. Get all the ingredients on ice or in the refrigerator NOW so they will be chilled. Since you will have to refill the fountain often, I would go with the carbonated soda and just add it every 20 minutes or so- it gives a lighter, more festive taste than the non-carbonated.
Sammy 11/21/08	I am having a baby shower for 50-60 people and I bought the plastic light up party fountain. Can you please get me a recipe for a fruit punch or something that will be good for baby shower. It is a boy so punch with blue color would be good. Can I add chopped starwberries to the punch? Thanks.
ellen 11/21/08	There are a bunch of suggestions for blue punches in the thread, just read on up. absolutely DO NOT put any solids of any kind in the punch; these fountains even jam up on the amount of pulp in lemonade or orange juice!
Gloria 11/22/08	Orange Juice How much orange juice do I need to purchase for making mimosas for a breakfast brunch. We will serve from 1l:00 to 11:30 a.m. Approx. 100 people
ellen 11/22/08	These are usually mixed 1/2 and 1/2. I allow a pint total per person, 1 cup juice, 1 champagne.
Gloria 11/23/08	How many cups will a pound of mushrooms yield? I will be slicing the mushrooms for a caserole. Thanks
ellen 11/23/08	Gloria when you cook these, they shrink. I pound of fresh whole mushrooms, trimmed, sliced and cooked, makes maybe a cup of mushrooms.
Laura 11/24/08	I'm in charge of making the punch at an upcoming holiday party. Most guests drink martinis. Is there such a thing as a martini punch? This will not be for a fountain, but will be served from a large punch bowl.
ellen 11/25/08	Yes, mostly vodka based (which my granddaddy would not consider a real martini...). Here are a couple: Per punch bowl full: Ice 16 oz. Stohlis Vanilla Vodka 16 oz. Creme De Cassis 28 oz. Pineapple Juice Fill punch bowl with ice and add ingredients. Adjust according to the flavor you desire. Apple Martini Punch- per person 2 Oz Citrus Vodka 1/2 Oz Dekuyper� Sour Apple Pucker Schnapps 1/2 Oz Cointreau� Orange Liqueur 3/4 Oz Fresh Lemon Juice ice Here are several other currently popular combinations: Raspberry, Vodka, and Chambord Blue Moon Martini-Amaretto, Blue Curacao, and Bailey�s Vodka, Chambord, Cointreau, and cranberry Cosmo Martini-This citrus vodka and cranberry masterpiece is a classic among martinis. Bailey�s and Jameson Raspberry vodka, Malibu, and Monster Pomegranate Vodka, Amaretto, and orange juice X-rated, pomegranate, and lemonade When you serve a hard liquor punch, it is a VERY good idea to make an urn full of coffee as well- for amounts see the dinner coffee amounts in the beverage planning table.
ellen 11/30/08	Punch- Golden Sparkle Punch Here is a tasty golden punch 4 (12 ounce) cans frozen lemonade concentrate 1 1/2 quarts water 2 liters ginger ale, chilled 1 liter sparkling water, chilled 3 pounds ice 1 (7/8 quart) bottle dry champagne (or sparkling white grape juice), chilled Mix lemonade and water and chill. T0 serve, add ginger ale and sparkling water to the lemonade base and pour over ice cubes in a large punch bowl. Pour chilled champagne or sparkling grape juice over punch in the bowl and stir gently.
Monica 12/22/08	I used a stainless steel champagne/punch fountain last night and made a cranberry tea using sugar. The mixture was done in small batches and added as need. It foamed up terribly. What did I do wrong?
ellen 12/23/08	Nothing, some fruit juices do foam- mimosas (oj and champagne) make clouds of foam. You might try simple syrup instead of straight sugar next time.
milla 12/30/08	hey, i made a punch awhile ago from a recipe that i got off of HGTV..it was called gold punch and i've tried googling it but i cant find the exact match. There were 3 juices (orange, lemonade and something else) and it was garnished with mint leaves. It was non-alcoholic. Do you know what the third juice might be? And how much water should i add for that much juice? Thank you
ellen 12/30/08	Here is the recipe: Solid Gold Punch Ingredients: 2 qts. cold water 1 cup sugar 1 tsp. vanilla two 6-oz. cans frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed two 6-oz. cans frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed one to four 6-oz. cans of frozen pineapple juice, thawed crushed ice orange slices mint sprigs Preparation: Heat water to boil, add sugar and stir until it dissolves. Let cool. Add vanilla, juices and lemonade. Pour mixture into a punch bowl over ice. Garnish with orange slices and mint sprigs. Yield: about 20 servings
milla 12/31/08	Thank you!
Rian 01/04/09	Hi Ellen, I am looking for a alcoholic blue punch to go in a beverage fountain and serving aroung 40-50 people. Something quite tasty. Any suggestions???
ellen 01/04/09	If you like melon flavored liquors (I am not a fan), hypnotiq is a BEAUTIFUL blue liquor. Check out this page: www.drinknation.com/barbook/ingredients/hpnotiq.php Many combine it with rum or coconut rum and vodka. If I were doing a fountain, I would then add large amounts of club soda- people will not be expecting highball strength in a fountain. If you get something you like, send in the recipe. Just remember, NO PULPS.
Annie 01/09/09	i want make a punch 4 a bridal shower with about 20 guests. i want to use a raspberry carbonated soda (2 litre bottle) i also bought a bottle of ginger ale any ideas (non-alchol please)
ellen 01/10/09	This is a nice friendly size party, and you want to allow about 1 pint of punch per person for a three hour party. That's about 1 2 liter bottle for each 4 people. I would use one of the delicious raspberry juice drinks- there are several now available- plus your two sodas. Be sure you have some chilled sugar-free soda on hand for the folks who can't have the carbs. You could make a pretty ice ring in a mold- use juice, freeze a layer, arrange raspberries and mint leaves on the slushy layer and add the rest of the juice and freeze solid. Looks pretty in the bowl.
Jamie 03/03/09	It is so hard to find a good punch fountain recipe, thank god for you. Well my wedding is on the 3/28/09 and I can not find a good recipe for a punch that can go in a champ. fountain. My wedding is spring, tulips, butterflies, lilac is the main color with silvr and pink. Well I'm looking for something everyone can drink, no alch, that is fruity, fun, and not tea. I will have a few young kids so I don't want any thing that will stain too much either. Can you help me? My daughter is allergic to Hawaiian pucnh, so I can't have that in it. Thanks so much
ellen 03/04/09	I would get sparkling grape juice- the white or pink, not purple. Then for a juice zing, mango, guava, or peach- experiment abit till you find a combo that tastes great to you.
Candy 04/02/09	I'm looking for a good light punch to complement cake; need to feed approx. 300
ellen 04/02/09	There are several recipes in this thread that would be suitable, plus good links. Remember to provide a sugar free option for diabetics and dieters- coffee, bottled water, etc.
Whitney 04/07/09	I'm looking for a punch that the recipe uses ginger ale and green Hawaiian punch (the brand Hawaiian punch). I'm not sure what else was in it, nor the amounts of each ingredient...please help!!
Whitney 04/07/09	Oh yeah...using a punch fountain for a party, so nothing that would clog the fountain.
ellen 04/07/09	Use the basic guidelines for fountain punches in this thread, or any of the links to other punch recipes.
Sara 04/08/09	Hi my prom is April 11th 2009 and a group of 10 of us are having a pot luck to save money. I'm in charge of the punch. I need one that says prom can you help!
Nancy 04/19/09	I'm hosting a Bridal Shower in June. I wanted to make a special punch for the little girls in attendance. Do you have a fun suggestion for an altenative to serving in a traditional punch bowl?
ellen 04/20/09	It depends on the theme of the party; for example if it was a beach theme, you could use a big plastic beach bucket. Or use a bowl but make ice rings with flowers and fruit frozen in. Girls usually like the multi-colored multi flavored ice cubes that you make from different juices and/or kool-aids and then pile into tall clear glasses with a gold or other light colored punch. Or pink, of course; I would use rasperry rather than pink lemonade.
Cari 04/20/09	I am looking for a punch to serve at a wedding reception. They are wanting it to be peach colored, non -alcoholic. Looking at serving approx. 100 people. Thank you
ellen 04/20/09	The recipe in the very first section of this thread is a lovely peach-colored punch- make a test batch and see what you think. You want a gallon for each 8 people plus ice for several hours.
Ainsley 05/09/09	I neeed to amke punch for 5oo people for my daughter's graduation reception. I am supposed to use Hawaiian Punch and 7 up...just those 2 ingredients. I will make chilled punch molds to keep it cold. Can you give me the proportions I should use of each for this many people?
Ainsley 05/09/09	I just need to know how many parts Hawaiian Punch to how many parts 7 Up. To serve 500 people. Thank you!
ellen 05/09/09	I do 1 can Hawaiian Punch to 4 liters (1 gallon) 7-up, but I don't much like Hawaiian punch. You can use 2 cans if you want a really heavy Hawaiian punch flavor. You need at least 30 gallons.
Karen 05/26/09	Do you think the "mock champagne" punch using white grape juice and ginger ale is okay to serve with cake? We are supposed to make something simple for a graduation reception - serving 400-500 people.
ellen 05/26/09	Absolutely! Do offer ice water as well and a sugar free choice at at least one station- you will have at least 50 people who can't have the sweet punch.
Karen 05/26/09	Thanks!
Jennifer 06/13/09	I need a non alocholic wedding punch for around 100 people. I am looking for a burnt orange to amber colored punch. The wedding is in october and one of the colors is burnt orange. I also would like to find one that can basically be the same ingredients but sugar free as my fiance is a diabetic. Also it will be in a fountain so no pulp or fizz. Also would like to find one that does not include tea. Thanks!
ellen 06/14/09	If you have a Mexican or south American grocery or a large store with a section, look for tamarind nectar, a fruity tan liquid, and try it. Mixed with orange juice, orange soda, mango or guava nectar etc, it might give you just the color you want. A more work-intensive solution might be a punch base of blood-orange juice, which you would probably have to squeeze yourself, with a touch of cranberry or pomegranate juice for color and flavor and lemon juice to tart it up a little. Both these juice bases could be diluted with ginger ale to give sparkle and flavor. Using a juice base and a sugar free soda would give your sweetie a punch option.
Jenn 06/14/09	Thanks, I will be sure to try that.
Danyalle 06/15/09	Please help. I need a punch that is a light pink color for a wedding in 3 weeks. It can not have a lot of added sugar and can't have anything that has a strong citrus flavor or Sprite/7-up. Also it is for a fountain. I'm not sure if ginger-ale has the citrus flavor but if it doesn't that will work in it. Club soda is another idea I had. Thanks in advance.
ellen 06/15/09	Ginger ale does not have any citrus and would make a good base, just remember you have to add it every 15 minutes if using a fountain, or it goes completely flat. Any pure red juice will give you a pink color, you find these at natural groceries, health food stores etc. Such as sweet cherry juice, white grape juice, ginger ale, a little almond extract. Experiment and clear it with the bridal couple.
Danyalle 06/15/09	Thanks for the response Ellen. Do you have any tips/recipes for punches that would be good in a fountain without ginger ale or club soda?
ellen 06/15/09	There are lots of pulp-free punches with no soda. Check out some of the punch links in this thread.
reita manning 08/14/09	I need a pink slushy punch for a baby shower for about 50 people. I don;t like to use the cranberry juice and sour juices.I'm afraid they might taste sour or just different. thanks
ellen 08/14/09	How about a guava (for light pink) or raspberry (for dark pink) blend with apple juice or white grape? Raspberry or pinkl lemonade also makes a great slushy punch. Many slushy punches use a jello base, here is one: FROZEN SLUSHY PUNCH Makes about 3 gallons- see beverage planning page for help on amounts With the added fruits, this has a richer, fruitier taste than the more icy punches. 3 4 ounce Jello, flavor/color of choice (strawberry) 9 cups boiling water, boiled with 2-4 cups sugar Mix above together. 2 (46 oz.) pineapple juice 4 to 6 bananas 1 (18 oz.) can crushed pineapple in juice 1 qt. strawberries, OR 1-2 pounds frozen strawberries or other berries 4 c. warm water pureed in blender in batches, adding the water as needed to help it puree. Mix the two batches. Freeze the above 1 quart at a time in quart containers or gallon ziplocks baggies until ready to use. When ready to serve, remove from freezer 3 hours ahead. Let thaw to slushy stage; add ginger ale and serve at once. mix 2 quarts of the above with up to 2 liters of ginger ale or Sprite or 7-Up, the mixture will then become slushy. Can use half as much sugar.
Beverly 08/16/09	hi ellen I'm another frantic mom that in the last minutes decided to have a fountain for punch. non-alcohol. the colors are burnt orange - fern green - chocolate brown- any ideas and recipes? for 250 people. wedding is this Saturday. Thanks so much Bev
ellen 08/16/09	Well, I would go for gold, orange or tea-based for brown. There are several recipes here that would do, and links for others. Just remember NO PULP. For example, if you use orange juice or the orange juice concentrate, get the NO PULP one. A virgin mimosa with OJ and ginger ale would be the simplest and is quite popular. Be sure you have a sugar-free option for diabetics and dieters. Amounts help is on the beverage planning page. Be sure everything is really cold before it goes into the fountain.
natalie 08/16/09	Looking for a non-alcoholic punch recipe for 100 people, blue in color, for a fountain. I have read many of the posts explaining that you have to add carbonated beverage every 15 minutes. Is there a way to make a good punch that is not carbonated so I don't have to worry about it and keep mixing and adding stuff? I wanted to pre-make and just refill the fountain with the premade punch if possible. I have read probably 50 recipes and everything had ice cream or sherbert, ginger ale, Sprite/7Up, soda.
Natalie 08/20/09	How about that punch - any possible suggestions?
ellen 08/20/09	Thank you for persisting, Natalie. I did not check back after I posted that day, and you posted later the same day, so it did not show a new date, and I missed your post. There are great fruit drinks without soda, sherbet, etc. You could definitely use one of these in a punch. The difficulty for you would be the blue color. I would probably make the blue raspberry koolaid as a base, using a sugar syrup instead of plain sugar for smooth texture. You make this by adding the 1 cup of sugar to 2 cups of water and boiling till smooth, then reduce the water in the koolaid by 2 cups and use the sugar syrup. Then I would use white cranberry juice to dilute it until it was the right blue- it is light colored and a bit tangy, but not sharp like the red. You will have to experiment for color and flavor. Or you could make any pale punch and just stir in the koolaid mix to get the color...
louise 08/24/09	where can I get flowers that I can put in punch ice cubes
ellen 08/24/09	Some high end markets sell these edible flowers. If you get them from a garden or florist, you must be SURE they have not been sprayed with pesticides or soaked in preservative mixes. Here is a link for a list of edible flowers with pictures: homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/blflowers.htm
Rebecca 08/24/09	Hi, I need a non-alcoholic punch that will be in a punch fountain for my wedding this September. I found a recipe I like with frozen limeade concentrate, frozen lemonade concentrate, ginger ale and pineapple juice..but are there pulp-free concentrates available in stores because it will be in a fountain? Also, read about having to add ginger-ale or other carbonated beverages every so often because it goes flat -- is there some similar punch I could make that wouldn't require that? I just want something tasty, not to tart but not too bland like some Hawaiian punch, that can go in a punch fountain and that is red or pink, preferably. Thanks!
ellen 08/24/09	I suggest pink, as when it spills it is easier to clean up or get out of dressy clothes. You can buy pulp free frozen concentrates. You can make pulp free concentrate 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of bottled juice, this is approximately equivalent to a 12 ounce can of concentrate. You can experiment with using white cranberry juice or white grape juice instead of ginger ale or 7 up. You may need to add some water to get it to "not too sweet".
ETHEL 08/25/09	i AM LOOKING FOR A PUNCH TO SEVER AT OUR RAINBOW PROGRAM OUR COLOR IS YELLOW i WOULD LIKE A SUNSHINE PUNCH OR A LIME PUNCH. tHANK YOU!
ellen 08/25/09	Here is a simple but tasty "Sunshine punch"; it has a golden tinge from the orange juice. This makes 1+ gallon and is served over ice, so ends up about 1 1/2 gallons. # 1 - 6 ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate # 1 - 6 ounce can frozen pineapple concentrate # 2 - 6 ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate # 6 cups ice-cold water # 2 liters ginger ale; chilled (OPTIONAL) (46 ounce can apricot nectar) 1.Mix all the items except the ginger ale the day before or at least one hour before. Keep refrigerated. 2. Just before serving, add ginger ale.
Monica 08/29/09	Ellen, I am looking for an alcohol free punch that will be served out of a champagne fountain. She wants it to be either plum(preferred) or a green color. Do have a couple of great recipes we can try? We will be serving approximately 300 or so guest. Thanks for your time.
ellen 08/29/09	Plum is basically purple with red undertones, but plum juices are thick and vaguely pruney. I would probably experiment with red grape as the base, and use a lemon seltzer as the soda- grape does not need a lot more sweetener. U*se a pulp free pink lemonade for the tang. Play around till you get what you like--
Endora 09/01/09	Ellen, We made the sunshine punch recipe except you added jello. The punch was great!! Everyone loved it. We used a fountain and it fizzed. We didn't think it was suppose to fizz. Do you have an idea why? We made the punch early that morning and chilled it all day and added the ginger ale when served. Thanks for your time.
ellen 09/01/09	Even mimosas (pulp free orange juice and champagne) fizz, I suspect it is the citrus. But it all looks rather festive and it sounds like it tasted great.
Becky 09/07/09	Wow! I have loved reading all the posts on this site...I too am using a fountain for my wedding punch and love all of the above tips and ideas. Just a question...can you use floating frozen punch ice cubes in the fountain to help keep it cold but not dilute the punch or clog the fountain??
ellen 09/08/09	I would not use cubes- they could melt small enough to get caught in the auger! You might make larger blocks or logs and let your fountain guardian scoop them out when they get small. See the chocolate fountain article for lots of notes on fountain safety and success.
Alana 10/05/09	Punch for wedding I'm doing punch for a wedding this weekend. The wedding colors are lavender and lime green. They would like lavender punch, if possible. I'm having trouble finding a non-alcoholic recipe in a lavender color. I know the lime green would be easier, but don't have a recipe for that either. Can you help? Need a recipe and also how much to make. They are having me do cake for 200 servings, so should we plan 200, 250 or 300 svgs. of punch?
ellen 10/06/09	See the beverage planning page for help on amounts. As to lavender color, get some purple and red grape juice and a Bunch of white grape or white cranberry and mix, starting with the white, adding purple just till you get the color value and then a bit of red if needed to true up the color. It doesn't take much purple or red. Then use this as your juice base in any of the punch recipes.
Phyllis 10/10/09	Our family is having a 100th birthday party for my grandmother. We are doing a breakfast that morning and a family dinner that evening. I am looking for a punch recipe that is just white grape juice and almond extract to use that morning from a fountain. what would be the ratio of juce to extract to serve any where from 3 to 5 hundred people we are working very hard to make this a serve your self Thanks
ellen 10/10/09	You should consider adding about 1/2 club soda or ginger ale. Then for each 3 1/2 to 4 quarts, you add 1 tablespoon almond extract,
Phyllis 10/13/09	Thank you so very much. Will add the club soda!!
Cindy Jones 10/16/09	Hi...I'm having a Halloween party and will be serving punch in a water bubbler (the kind with the inverted bottle on the top) complete with "eyeballs" and glowsticks. Is it possible to serve a punch with carbonation in this way? Any ideas for getting a really "toxic" color to the punch? Thanks!!
ellen 10/16/09	Cute. The food color people are making neon and halloween color packs, you could get pretty gruesome with the colors. If you mean like a water cooler, not unless you use a plastic bottle and punch a little hole in the top (formerly the bottom) to vent it.
Becky 10/24/09	Lavendar Colored Punch I need an easy punch receipe that is lavendar in color and I can serve with and without vodka. Any suggestions?
ellen 10/25/09	See 10/06 this thread.
cindy 10/30/09	I'm making a sherbet punch with pineapple juice and ginger-ale. How much ingredients would I need to serve 150 people?? Thank you.
ellen 10/30/09	See the beverage planning page. Have a sugar free alternative (coffee, teas, diet soda) for the diabetics and dieters in the crowd.
Mary C 11/10/09	Hello Ladies, I'm hosting a wedding shower this weekend. I have a new fountain that I'd liek to use. I had one recipe of white grape fruit juice and ginger ale..?? I testred it and it seems a bit boring... am I missing something? The wedding color is red... Thanks in advance!
ellen 11/10/09	Go for cranberry juice with apricot nectar and the ginger ale and a good dollop of strained fresh lemon or lime juice and you will be much happier with both the color and the taste.
Gillian 11/19/09	I am organizing the catering for 25 people at a Christmas function and require a non alcholic punch recipe base, preferably the cold tea one. Thanks
ellen 11/19/09	Gillian, a tea punch recipe is posted near the top of this thread. If that won't do, write back.

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