Punchy Punches For Halloween

 This weelend is going ot be the weekend for Halloween parties. Instead of playing bartender and missing the party why not roll with the punches? Put out fancy bowls of alcoholic and non alcoholic ones. Your guests will get a big kick out of them as they're served ina spooky cup.

Start with a fun punch bowl/ Target has large witch's cauldrons which would be perfect for any kind of punch. They also sell a large clear pumpkin too.If you can;t find onen use your soup pot and soup ladle to pour out cups. You can also use one of your soup tureens (or buy one at an antique store) along with using the ladle that comes with it. Large ice buckets also work well too. What about the punch itself? A perfect spooky holiday sip is a blood red sangria. Start with a sweet red or rose and add the fruit fi the season  such as apples and pears. Orange and leon slices give ti a fresh tartness.  You could  increase the punch's potency by stirring in half a cup of a fruit brandy. Even though this sounds vile, sewer water punch is actually quite tasty - and kicky.It;s Dr Pepper mixed with vanilla flavored vodka and orange juice. Serve this potion in a clear bowl so they can see the "brown water." You can add gummy works if you want to (or Tootsie rolls to really amp up the "ewwwwww" factor.)

What about those little ones? Try a non alcoholic punch  with fun flavors for those tiny trick or treaters. Again serve it in a witch's cauldron or giant pumpkin. Since the main color fo the holiday is orange then think of a bright citrus punch. Combine orange soda (use an intensely flavored one like Fanta for the best taste) Add orange sherbert for more tang and a cup of pineapple juice for a refreshing zing. If you find this too sweet, then  sub in the soda with an orange flavored seltzer. This cuts down on the sugariness and even makes it more palatable for any adults attending. Another squeal inducing sip is the witch's brew punch. It's first mixing ginger ale with  pineapple and lemon juices. The last is added to keep from making th e drink too sweet,.Lime sherbet is added to give it that green color. Now for the special effects. You can put dry ice in a handmade trough wrought from tin foil around the cauldron. This will give it the effect of a smoking pot. You DO NOT want to put this ice in the punch. It's extremely dangerous to do so. Another special  and safer effect is just put a ring of battery operated votice lights around the base of the cauldon.

A good Halloween punch will add - what else - punch  to any party. It's a tasty cup, perfect with those party bites and mucnies. Brew up a cauldron for your holiday drinking.