A punch for Hanukkah parties

Last year, I created this Hanukkah-themed punch for Liquor.com. If you’re celebrating the Festival of Lights with friends or family, it’s the perfect excuse to make a batch. Head on over to Liquor.com to read the full story with tips on how to throw a Hanukkah party. And if you need more punch ideas (or a holiday gift?), please order a copy of my book Cocktails for a Crowd.

“VODKAS & LATKES” PUNCH

Contributed by Kara Newman

Serves 16

Potato latkes—often served with applesauce—is an iconic Hanukkah dish. Without getting too literal, here’s a cocktail interpretation of that seasonal favorite. Serve in a punch bowl, with a platter of fresh latkes nearby, of course.

• 24 oz potato vodka
• 24 oz apple cider
• 12 oz lemon juice
• 8 oz ginger liqueur
• 32 dashes Angostura Bitters
• Lemon slices and whole cloves, for garnish

The night before: freeze a big block of punchbowl ice:  Pour water into disposable tin loaf pans (fill about halfway) and freeze overnight. When ready to serve punch, peel off the tins. Alternatively, use a bowl instead of a tin pan to create rounded ice. Run the bowl briefly under hot water to release the ice mold.

The day of the party: Add all ingredients to a punch bowl large enough to hold at least 10 cups of liquid. Stir to combine. Add the block of ice, and stir again to chill. Garnish with lemon slices studded with cloves. To serve, ladle into punch cups or tea cups.

Kind words for Cocktails for a Crowd

As the unofficial start to the summer entertaining season, Memorial Day weekend is a big deal. I was psyched to see my still shiny-new book featured prominently in Memorial Day food & drink coverage — and so honored to read these kind words. Please click through to read the full articles.

The Wall Street Journal, Recipes for Party Punches:

Don’t be fooled by the book’s slim size and bright cover. This is a serious, sophisticated guide to crafting drinks, not just a frothy collection of party size “-tinis.” With a can-do attitude and plenty of smarts, Ms. Newman offers readers rules of thumb culled from some of the country’s leading drink-slingers.

Seattle Magazine, Four Cocktails Perfect for a Crowd:

 A great resource for creating crowd-ready beverages is Kara Newman’s new book Cocktails for a Crowd, which has well-tested recipes for groups of many sizes and an intro section full of tips and advice.

Kansas City Star, Cocktails for 8 or more? These books help you figure out the servings

…the book that makes me actually want to throw a party is Cocktails for a Crowd by Kara Newman. … An insightful and well-crafted book.

Cheers!  I’ll drink to that.