CHAMPAGNE PUNCH

“If it could only be like this always – always summer, always alone, the fruit always ripe and Aloysius in a good temper...” - Evelyn Waugh
 

Today was blisteringly hot in Melbourne, with the mercury climbing to 42˚C. More hot days are predicted for the next two weeks, so Summer has arrived with a vengeance. Needless to say that cool drinks are de rigueur and as well as drinking lots of iced water, one may need something a little stronger for when guests arrive for a drink and a snack. The following is quite a potent alcoholic mix, but easily can be made non-alcoholic, by substituting the brandy with a tablespoon of Angostura bitters and the champagne with soda water.
 

CHAMPAGNE PUNCH
Ingredients

1     large pineapple
3    oranges
5    passionfruits
1    apple
1    punnet strawberries
6    tablespoonfuls icing sugar
1    cupful chilled brandy (substitute with 1 tsp Angostura bitters for non-alcoholic)
2    chilled bottles of Champagne (substitute with soda water for non-alcoholic)
 

Method
Peel and clean the pineapple, chopping into small cubes and put into a large bowl. Juice the oranges and add to the pineapple. Wash and hull the strawberries, leaving them to drain. Half them and add to the bowl. Peel the apple and chop finely into the bowl. Add the passionfruit pulp to the bowl and stir in the sugar until it is dissolved. Stir in the brandy and put the bowl into the freezer, until almost frozen solid. Break into chunks, put into a punch bowl and pour the chilled champagne over the fruit mixture.
 

This post is part of the Food Friday meme,

and also part of the Food Trip Friday meme.