A FESTIVE SPIN ON A HOLIDAY WINE PUNCH MADE WITH MANGO JUICE!
Yes, you read that right! Mango juice!
Mango juice joins Riesling to make a festive holiday punch perfect for an appetizer or main course pairing. Mango juice is in the home of every Indian-American household and is such an underrated ingredient during the holiday season. When guests used to come to my parents' home for dinner parties when I was younger, my mom would ask me to see if they wanted tea, soda, water, or juice once they got comfy. The juice we always stayed serving was the one and only: mango juice! Whether you are team Maaza or team Frooti...no one will be arguing with you in that BOTH work fabulously in this recipe.
While I love cranberry juice during the holidays, I wanted to impart that beautiful red color and do something a little different. With the help of Campari, we've created a holiday punch that is well-balanced and fabulous to pair with the delectable SPICY Indian dishes you'll find at my home during Christmas time. I knew I needed to create something that pairs with the food my family eats during Christmas time celebrations and this one fits the bill, y'all! It's spectacular. Note: this punch is NOT sweet (don't be swayed by the Riesling or mango juice adds)...because Campari packs a punch and mellows it all out and then some.
On that note, if you are making this recipe this holiday season, please be sure to read the notes section on how to pick the right Riesling for this punch recipe. When using fewer ingredients (this one has only a 3 ingredients), it is more important than ever to make sure we are using the RIGHT ones to get the best outcome. Cheers! This is the easiest wine punch recipe you'll find on the internet today and made with only just 3 ingredients. :)
And when there is no shortage of 3-ingredient recipes on The Tash Mashup, 3-ingredient punch recipes? We are on to something here and I need to make a lot more. They are great for hosting and anyone can put it together - no previous cocktail-making experience is needed. Just add everything to a pitcher and you're ready to serve. One of the things I love most about easy-to-make cocktails is that it gives me to think about everything ELSE. I love getting real extra this time of the year so I decided to serve the punch in glass ornaments. That's not all. I first added some edible gold glitter and flowers as well to tie it all together.
Last but most importantly, this recipe was made in partnership with the genius that is Neha Assar of Neha Assar Artistry. She made me these custom ornaments (THAT ARE TOO CUTE FOR WORDS) and was kind enough to offer a discount to all of you (TASH15) for her incredible products available on her site here. I have forever been a fan of her mehndi artistry and now getting my hands on one of her products...I am in awe, friends! They are beautifully made and such a great addition to your kitchen. I most definitely have my eye on this gorgeous mug here as well as the Hamsa one here.
THIS RECIPE WAS MADE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NEHA ASSAR ARTISTRY.
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INGREDIENTS
20 oz of a sweet/late-harvest Riesling wine
12 oz of mango juice (Frooti or Maaza work great in this recipe)
4 oz of Campari
Edible gold glitter, optional for garnish (I used Fancy Sprinkles)
Edible flowers, optional for garnish
Fresh cranberries, optional for garnish (I recommend no more than 6-8 in each glass)
DIRECTIONSÂ
To make this cocktail, simply add your Riesling wine, mango juice, and Campari into a large punch bowl or extra-large mason jar. Combine and then store covered in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. This is important as this allows all of the flavors to meld.
Totally optional, but to make things extra festive - you can choose to serve this punch in a glass ornament. Skip to step 4 below if you are not planning to present the beverage in this way. If you want to serve it in a glass ornament, keep reading.
To start, be sure to mix the chilled punch first since the mango juice likes to settle on the bottom. I then added edible gold glitter and a few edible flowers to each ornament. This is optional but adds a nice touch. Then, open up the top of the glass ornament. Using a funnel, pour the punch gently into each ornament. Depending on your size of ornaments, you can either fill it up halfway or to the top. Put the top of the ornament back on and then place each ornament in a glass filled with ice to the top to serve.
IMPORTANT: This drink needs to be served in glasses filled with ice, as we're not adding ice to the drink beforehand or shaking it over ice to dilute it first. Do not forget this step! I also like to add a few cranberries to make it extra festive as cranberries and think that Campari is a fun pairing with this holiday-favorite fruit.
~ Serves 4-6
Notes
This is incredibly important but be sure to pick up a sweet Riesling for this recipe. Campari is a STRONG flavor and we need to use a late harvest Riesling for this recipe to taper the bitterness of the spirit. A lot of the sweet Rieslings at my local grocery store have either 'Sweet Riesling' or 'Late Harvest Riesling' on the label. Another great rule of thumb is to find one that has an ABV that is less than 11%. This is a good way to know that your Riesling will be on the sweeter side. If you're shopping at Trader Joe's or your local liquor store, do not be shy and ask for help. I've learned SO much about wines from kind souls who have helped me pick up some of my now-favorite wines at TJs. :)
If you are just making this punch for one as I often like to do so to pair with some extra spicy namkeen/mixture...here are your measurements: 5 oz of Riesling, 3 oz of mango juice, and 1 oz of Campari.
If you are not a fan of Campari, I will be honest and say that this drink might not be your first choice to make. Campari is a great digestif and I wanted to create something specifically for the holidays that will make everyone happy but not feel icky after drinking it. This punch is low ABV AND has Campari in it...a 2-for-1 if you will. That being said, I personally only typically like to enjoy Campari-based beverages with extra spicy Indian khana if you know what I mean. :) It cuts the heat and is the best pairing for Campari in my opinion. In short, Campari paired with EXTRA spicy food = chef's kiss.