High Wire Summer Sangria
This white wine punch was a big hit at second Friday openings in the un-airconditioned San Antonio art gallery of the same name. Along with about a case of Merlot or Cabernet, it supplied all comers- about a hundred people. Inexpensive wine is called for; "the good stuff" would be foolish here. The secret is, never let the guests see the box. Bring it out of the kitchen already fruited up and mixed.
Punches are always better if all the ingredients are thoroughly chilled before mixing. I have been know to add rosewater (about 3 tablespoons per bowl) to this punch.
3 gallon glass bowl or other serving container
Mixing spoon that will reach the bottom of the container
5-6 1 gallon containers, or 2 one gallon containers and 5 one gallon baggies
20 pounds cube ice (most MacDonald's sell fresh, bagged ice)
3 5 liter boxes white wine (Franzia Crisp White...)
8 2 liter sodas (gingerale or lemon lime)
24 ounces lime juice
8 oranges
8 lemons
8 limes
1 quart plus 1 pint strawberries
8 whole peaches OR 2-3 pounds frozen melon balls
2 quarts mango nectar
2 quarts guava nectar (can use apricot nectar if tropicals are not available)
OPTIONAL edible flowers such as unsprayed nasturtiums, violets, or roses
You can substitute various fruits, but don't use blueberries or small grapes if you have a serving container with a spigot, as they will block the spigot. Kiwis are too fuzzy.
Prepare the fruits ahead (can be done the day before, except the berries) - Wash all the fruits thoroughly, as the peels go into the punch.
- Slice the citrus by slicing off the top and bottom (discard) and preparing thin slices, most oranges will make about 6, lemons and limes 4 to 5.
- Slice the strawberries vertically, small ones in half with a bit of leaf on each half, large ones in three sliced with the leaf on the middle piece.
- Slice peaches off the pit, leaving the peel on, very thin crescents.
- Bag up 1/4 the fruit in the starter bag, and divide the rest among 4 more. Preserve as much fresh juice as you can; I slice right into the bags.
Assemble the punch in batches
First batch
Mix in the kitchen:
3 liters of wine
1 pint of mango nectar
1 pint of guava nectar
6 ounces (3/4 cup) lime juice
Put 5-6 pounds of ice in the container.
Pour in the starter bag of fruit
Add the mixed wine
Add 4 liters of gingerale or lemon lime soda (2 2 liter bottles)
Stir very well, add edible flowers if planned.
Subsequent batches (you will have 4)
Mix in the kitchen:
3 liters of wine
1/4 of the remaining mango nectar, guave nectar and lime juice
Pour into the container, which still has some punch in it.
Add one of the smaller bags of fruit
Add <>bONLY ONE 2 liter bottle of soda
Add only enough ice to keep the punch cold, maybe 2-3 pounds
At the end, you will have happy guests and some nicely drunken fruits for the next day.
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