Good morning, friends! Are you getting a little break between holidays at the moment? I sure hope so. This time between Christmas and the new year is one of my favorites in Ireland – a lot of shops are closed, and Michael and I both have time off to rest and relax. We’re not much for celebrating New Year’s Eve, but we do try to make it a little festive as we wait for midnight to roll around. I thought this festive white wine and cranberry punch would do just the trick!
When we had our second blogger meetup a few months ago at Peperina Garden Bistro, I asked the guys there if we could come up with a festive punch recipe. Lo and behold they whipped up a delicious white wine cranberry punch that’s perfect for the New Year’s Eve! It’s fresh and a little tart with a festive edge from vanilla, cloves and cardamom pods.
Holiday White Wine and Cranberry Punch 2 teaspoons whole cloves 1/2 of a vanilla bean, split lengthwise 6 cardamom pods 1/2 liter cranberry juice 1/2 liter apple juice 4 medium purple and/or green plums, pitted and sliced 1 bottle a fruity white wine like sauvignon blanc fresh cranberries to garnish Split the vanilla pod down the middle length wise. Put the vanilla bean, the cardamom pods, and the whole cloves into a piece of cheese cloth and tie with a string. Pour all the liquids into a punch bowl or carafe, and add the spices in the cheese cloth as well as the plums to the liquid. Let sit in the fridge for a few hours, then pour into glasses and garnish with fresh cranberries skewered on a cocktail stick.
This punch is going to be perfectly refreshing come New Year’s Eve, when there are still a few cranberries lurking in your fridge’s crisper and you’re ready for something a little lighter! Cheers!
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