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West Side Punch

This punch is simple, easy, and highly refreshing. It was born out of necessity when we opened for brunch and had to serve tons of our West Side cocktails to the girls brunching in our garden. The solution was simple and a win-win for us and the guests. We love to recommend this punch in the summertime; its flavors and crispness will freshen up the nastiest hangover. Perfect for weddings, bar mitzvahs, bridal and baby showers, and all those cute get-togethers people have.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 1 1/2 quarts

Ingredients

30 fresh mint leaves, no stems
1 3/4 cups Charbay Meyer lemon vodka
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup simple syrup (page 154)
1 cup club soda

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In the bottom of a large pitcher, bruise the mint leaves slightly with a ladle or muddler. Add the vodka, juice, and syrup. Stir gently and add the club soda. Fill the pitcher with ice and stir again for 1 minute. Serve immediately.

  2. decorative ice block for punch

    Step 2

    an easy way to dress up your punch is to make a decorative ice block. a Bundt cake pan (or any other interesting shape pan) can be used as a mold to make a large block of ice that is also functional. Be sure that whatever size mold you choose will fit into both your freezer and your punch bowl. Take thinly sliced citrus wheels or any of the other fruits in the punch recipe and scatter them evenly on the bottom of the pan. Fill the pan tightly with ice cubes to hold the fruit in place. Fill with cold water and place in the freezer for a few hours. remove from the freezer just before serving. Hold the pan upside down under a stream of hot water briefly to separate the ice from the mold. The resulting ice should have fruits ornamenting the block. look out, Martha!

Cover of Speakeasy by Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric featuring a coupe glass with a brown cocktail and lemon wheel garnish.
Reprinted with permission from Speakeasy: The Employees Only Guide to Classic Cocktails Reimagined by Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric, © 2010 Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.
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