Granny's Christmas Punch

Every family has a punch that signals the holidays have arrived, and this one is pure nostalgia, a frozen, fruity slush that’s been ladled out of granny’s bowl for generations. Grape and strawberry soda mingle with crushed pineapple and its juice, a little sugar, and a squeeze of lemon to keep it from tipping into cloying.

The trick that makes it special is the freeze. The whole mixture goes into the freezer, then several hours before the party you pull it out and let it thaw just until it turns slushy and spoonable.

That half-frozen texture is the whole charm: icy, fizzy, and bright pink, somewhere between a drink and a dessert. It’s about as easy as a party drink gets, with no cooking and nothing to fuss over but a little patience while it freezes.

Scoop it into cups or float it in a punch bowl and watch it disappear, kids and grown-ups alike.

Kitchen Tips

• Pull the punch from the freezer a few hours before serving and let it soften to a slush. Too frozen and it’s a solid block; too thawed and you lose the signature texture.
• Use fresh-squeezed lemon juice if you can. It brightens the sweet soda and keeps the punch from tasting flat.
• For a punch bowl that stays cold, freeze part of the mix in a ring mold and float it in the rest.

Variations

• Stir in a bottle of ginger ale or lemon-lime soda just before serving for extra fizz.
• For the grown-ups, splash in vodka, white rum, or sparkling wine.