There's More to Barbies...

than just Ribs and Burgers!

Everyone knows having a barbecue party is great fun and the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. But we all know it can be a bit confusing and bit hectic trying to organise and prepare the food whilst making sure you have a good selection of drinks for your guests. This month I’ve developed a couple of easy, good looking and great tasting punch drinks which will wow your guests and save you valuable time so you can enjoy the day too!

Fruits of the Garden Punch (Serves: 6):

This is the perfect party drink; its easy for you to make, it looks great and it benefits from the fruit sitting in the drink, so no worries with it going bad throughout the day. Also if you chop up some extra fruit and leave the ingredients near by your guests can just keep adding if you start to run a bit dry.

Glasses: 6 martini glasses or wine glasses (put them in the freezer so they are ice cold)

Ingredients:    

• 1 whole orange
• 6 whole limes
• 4 passion fruits; flesh and seeds
• 8 strawberries
• 6 blackberries
• 200ml Absolut Citron vodka
• 90ml Cointreau
• 150ml Cranberry juice
• 60ml fresh lime juice

Method: Add all ingredients to a large punchbowl, pour in the vodka, Cointreau and juices. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge, when your ready to serve give it a stir then ladle into the frozen glasses.

Caribbean Breeze Punch (Serves: 6):

This cocktail is derived from the classic sea breeze cocktail made from vodka, cranberry juice and grapefruit juice.  Again we are using a large punch bowl making it easy for your guests to serve themselves and leave you to concentrate on producing the perfect barbequed food.

Glasses: 6 martini glasses or wine glasses (again chilled to keep the drinks ice cold)

Ingredients:

• 1 whole orange
• 10 cubes of pineapple
• 4 passion fruit flesh and seeds
• 200ml Mount Gay Caribbean Gold Rum
• 60ml Licor 43, vanilla liqueur
• 50ml Grapefruit juice
• 50ml elderflower cordial
• 100ml pressed apple juice
• 40ml pineapple juice

Method: Add all ingredients to a large punchbowl including the juices and alcohol. Cover with cling film and put in the fridge. This punch benefits from time, so if you can make it the night before and store it in the fridge till you need to serve.