Sweetie Pie's Perfectly Pink Summer Punch: An Easy Formula! (Cup Measurements)

Summer time is prime time for entertaining! I have a social circle who really enjoy socialising around card and board games, so to end my summer holiday in style I had a games party with pizza. And what party would be complete without a delicious party drink?

As a wedding gift, a good friend of mine gave me two garden flamingos -- a pink one and a black one -- which my husband decided to name Bert and Ernie, for some strange reason. It was even stranger considering the fact that he actually didn't know who "Bert and Ernie" were. So, in honour of their arrival, everything in the party was flamingo themed, including the punch.

I don't normally provide alcoholic drinks at social occasions because a) it's expensive, and b) sometimes people have no self control. However, we're all getting older now, and some of my more enthusiastic friends have calmed down with their imbibing as they've aged...

However, you can stretch a spirit a long way if you make yourself a nice party punch! Punch is a Caribbean drink that's made by mixing rum in specific ratios with other liquids. It's easily remembered with this traditional rhyme:

1 part sour

2 parts sweet

3 parts strong (alcohol, traditionally rum)

4 parts weak (mixer, traditionally water)

This ratio will produce a punch that's 9% alcohol volume. However, I don't want to get by guests completely plastered so I use 6 parts of mixer to make the overall volume 7.5%. To make it even weaker, use 2 parts strong and 6 parts weak to make the overall volume 5%.

Sour is exactly what it says on the tin: a sour liquid, like lemon or lime juice. You could also use grapefruit juice.

Sweet is a simple syrup or sweet fruit juice. You could use shop-bought syrups or squashes, but make sure to dilute them so they're not overwhelming. Some recipes even use a sweet liqueur here, like Framboise or Grand Marnier.

Strong is obviously the main alcoholic element, most frequently a spirit: whiskey, rum, vodka, you name it. Preferably this element is 30-35.7% alcohol volume, but you can use a weaker alcohol if you don't want your punch too strong.

And finally, weak is your diluting mixer: soft drink, tea, or even sparkling or still water. Some very adventurous people even use a weak alcohol here, like beer or cider. That's a but too alcoholic for me.

Sweetie Pie's Perfectly Pink Summer Punch

1 cup (240 millilitres) lime juice, bottled is fine

1 cup (240 millilitres) concentrated cherry syrup or squash, like this one

1 cup (240 millilitres) water, to dilute the syrup

3 cups (720 millilitres) mint vodka*, or strong peppermint schnapps (must be 30% alcohol)

6 cups (1440 millilitres) lemon lime soft drink, or cola

Ice, to serve

METHOD

• In a punch bowl or large pitcher, mix together the lime juice, cherry syrup, water, and vodka. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
• Immediately before serving, add 3 cups of ice and the lemon lime drink. Use a ladle to serve if it's in a bowl.
• Using these ratios the punch will be roughly 7.5%. Reducing the soft drink to 4 cups will yield a 9% drink.

*  I make mint vodka myself by dissolving 100 grammes (3.5 ounces) of clear mint sweets in 500 millilitres (17.5 fluid ounces) of vodka or about 24 hours, stirring occasionally. 

Feel free to experiments with flavours! What about something with blackberries and Jaegermeister for a spooky magical purple? Or keep it tropical fresh with lemon, orange, and grapefruit juice with rum? Whatever the occasion, this recipe is easily adaptable to your taste and event.

Cheat Method: Quick Lemon Iced Tea

Nomnomnom, iced tea! A truly refreshing drink for warm summer days... if you have any (they're fairly rare in Ireland!)

Irish people love tea. We drink tonnes of it every year. In fact, we drink the most tea per person of any country in Europe. But still, sometimes it can be just too hot outside for a proper cup of scald. That's why I was really happy when I tried iced tea and actually liked it!

I used to make iced tea by cold brewing black tea overnight, or by making cups or normal tea and letting it go cold. A coworker of mine, however, let me into one of her iced tea secrets. She just made a small amount of extremely concentrated tea and topped it up with cold water and ice. Having done a few experiments, I bring to you my own trusted formula that gives pretty consistent results every time.

INGREDIMENTS

To serve 2 people

2 Lyons (black) tea bags

6 fluid ounces (170 millilitres) boiling hot water

Cold water, to top up

10 ounces (285 grammes) ice

6 tablet sweeteners, or 2 tablespoons of sugar

2 tablespoons (30 millilitres) lemon juice, fresh or bottled. You could also use fresh or bottled juice of any other citrus

METHOD

• In a UK pint (570 millilitre) measuring jug, mix the tea bags and boiling hot water together. Stir very well, and allow to steep for about 5 minutes. 
• Remove the tea bags, and squeeze the water out of them. Add in the sweeteners or sugar and stir very well until dissolved. You'll lose some water in the process, but this is accounted for.
• Top the liquid level up to half a UK pint (285 millilitres) with cold water.
• Divide the ice and the lemon juice between two 12 ounce (340 millilitre) glasses. Pour half of the sweetened tea mixture into each glass, and stir very well until the drink is cold. 
• Serve with a straw, and a slice of lemon if you like.