**Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It is about learning to dance in the rain.**

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Ponche recipe

Well since several have requested the recipe I put it here for everyone. I know you can use different fruit if desired but this recipe came out of my Guat. Book. The punch we had did not have rum in it and I don't think coconut. But this sounds just as good as what we had. I am sure the Guatemalan families adjust it to their likings. Enjoy!

Ponche

Hot Fruit Punch

This fruity Christmas punch is served hot with lots of fruit in the cup. In the Christmas Posada tradition the host household prepares ponche for the group seeking shelter as did Mary and Joseph the night Jesus was born.

14 servings
1 small pineapple or half of a large one
1 small coconut, about 2 3/4 cups grated meat
1 small papaya, about 3 1/2 cups cubed fruit
2 apples
3 quarts water
1 stick cinnamon
4 cloves
1/4 cups raisins
5 prunes
sugar to taste depending on ripeness of fruit, begin with 1/4 cup rum (optional)

Remove the top and scrub the pineapple to clean it well. Remove the outer peel of the pineapple reserving it. Chop the pineapple into very small quarter inch pieces, reserving all the juice and place in pot with the peels. Grate the coconut meat and add to pot. Peel and seed the papaya and apples and chop into ½ inch pieces and add to pot. Add water, cinnamon and cloves and bring to boil. Simmer for ¾ hour, then add the raisins and prunes. Taste and add sugar. Cook another 15 minutes. Squeeze the pineapple peel to remove any juice and discard peels.

Fill cups with hot punch and fruit and pour in a shot of rum if desired. Have spoons handy to eat the fruit.

Leftovers are good cold too.

4 comments:

Pam L said...

MMMMMMMM, I've got to try the punch! It sounds wonderful! Thanks for posting the recipe.

Boo said...

Thanks so much for sharing! I will try it for sure!

The gFamily said...

Thank you for sharing the recipe! I can't wait to try it out!!

Merry Christmas!

nurse_cmc said...

Hi. My name is Cristen. I'm a missionary nurse in Guatemala and came upon your website one day. I am at an orphanage about 15 min from Antigua, going towards Guat City, called Casa Shalom. I, too, made ponche for my family for Christmas! I have enjoyed your website and wanted to introduce myself to you. Maybe we can keep in touch and meet one day when you come back to Guatemala. Your little girl is precious! So beautiful! Where do you guys live? I am from FL. Feel free to take a look at my website, also...www.myspace.com/nursecmc
God bless!