Witch's Brew

This is a fun idea that can be used for Halloween, or maybe for a children's party. One night, I hosted the dessert portion for a progressive dinner for our church youth group. I turned all the lights in my house off and lit about 100 candles and set them everywhere, including my front porch. We had a variety of desserts on the dining room table and we had ginger ale with dry ice in it to drink. It really had a magical, enchanted feel.

Tonight I am posting a delicious recipe for a cold apple juice punch that you can put dry ice in to get the amazing smoking effect. Dry ice is actually frozen carbon dioxide. Its surface temperature is -109.3 degrees F (-78.5 degrees C). It is not something you want to touch with your bare hands and touching metal to it will make a wierdly goulish screeching sound. I suggest plastic tongs and/or rubber gloves. An advantage to dry ice is that it breaks down by sublimation-it turns directly into carbon dioxide gas instead of a liquid, so it doesn't water down your punch. You should store it in an ice chest or cooler only, never in your freezer or refrigerator. Publix sells it for $1.09/lb and there are a couple of sizes to choose from. It is completely safe to consume. Just don't put a piece directly in your mouth.

Now that the science lesson is over, go have some crazy fun.

Smoking Apple Punch

1 quart apple juice
6 cinnamon sticks
16 whole cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 quart chilled ginger ale
dry ice

Combine first 4 ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain. Chill. Pour into a punch bowl and pour ginger ale into it. Add dry ice just before serving.

Yield: 2 quarts