MAKES ABOUT 3 GALLONS
So many different flavors blend together in this delightful tropical mix that the resulting drink is sophisticated and refreshing, and the lack of alcohol is not apparent.
2 bottles (1½ quarts each) Mauna La’i guava/passion-fruit drink or other tropical beverage
2 bottles (1½ quarts each) cranberry juice cocktail
2 quarts grapefruit juice, preferably from the refrigerated section of the supermarket
3 bottles (1 liter each) ginger ale
2 trays of ice cubes plus a big bag of cubes for individual drinks
4 or 5 limes, halved lengthwise and cut into thin slices
1. In a large punch bowl or in several large pitchers, blend together the Mauna La’i, cranberry juice, grapefruit juice, and ginger ale. Add the 2 trays of ice cubes and the lime slices. Put the remaining ice in an ice bucket.
2. To serve, put 2 or 3 ice cubes in an old-fashioned glass or punch cup and ladle on the punch, making sure everyone gets a slice of lime.
Make the punch as above but omit the ginger ale. Instead add 1 bottle (750 ml) vodka and 1 bottle (750 ml) golden rum, such as Mount Gay or Bacardi Gold Reserve. Serve smaller portions.
I wrote this book to guide you through a big party or dinner for a large crowd without any additional help. However, there’s no question your job will be easier if you have an extra pair of hands. Straightening the kitchen in between courses makes a large sit-down dinner much more manageable. Getting rid of dirty dishes and glasses at a buffet or open house keeps the room attractive and the party fresh. And there are special occasions, such as a wedding or graduation in the home, when you really want to be a guest at your own party.
Remember that help doesn’t always wear a uniform. If you have a child or close relative of appropriate age, try recruiting him or her for a favor or nominal fee. Teenagers and older people are often happy to work for a reasonable hourly rate. Some high schools and colleges have programs that train young people for exactly this kind of work: serving and cleaning up, though not, of course, bartending. Someone—a friend or spouse—should be assigned to tend bar, whether that means mixing drinks or just making sure bottles are opened, there’s enough ice, and the punch bowl is full.
If you decide to hire help for a special occasion, be sure to check references. Unless you know of someone through a personal recommendation, go through an agency that specializes in household personnel. Be sure the duties of any outside help are clearly defined beforehand and check if fees include a tip or not. They usually don’t, and a cash tip at your discretion is expected; 15 percent is the norm. Don’t be shy about setting up your own rules—such as no smoking—for anyone who works for you for the evening. And make it clear to anyone hired to serve that he or she will be expected to double—taking coats, bussing dirty ashtrays and dishes, and helping to clean up in the kitchen, as well as passing food. Try to allow time for a dry run or at least a few moments to show them where everything is. If you’re going to have a stranger working in your kitchen, it’s best to have all serving pieces out and marked with what they’re to be used for.
A professional caterer will tell you that you need one server for every 10 guests at a buffet, or three waiters for every 20 guests at a sit-down dinner, plus kitchen help and a bartender. Since most of us cannot afford that kind of help, I’d say that at a big open house or buffet, a bartender is nice to have, but one person to clean up in the kitchen, keep the room in order, and help serve can make all the difference in the world.