There is nothing repetative about the taste and aroma of Mexican food with each recipe having as many variations as the country does cultures. It is for this reason I can never see myself getting bored of the traditional cuisine. I think I will require another lifetime combined with this one to get through all the variations of amazing food creations.
I cook Mexican food at home on a daily basis, but rarely share my great finds. I am hoping that the upcoming year will afford me more time to share some of these simple and amazing recipes. To start, here is an exciting traditional punch. A few of the ingredients may be hard to find year round but substitutes can be made when in need.
Ponche Navideño
8 cups of water
2 cinnamon sticks
5 whole cloves
1 cup tajocotes
6 guavas
1 or 2 apples
1 whole orange, juice and pulp
1 whole piloncillo cone*
2 sugar canes
1/2 cup prunes or raisins
To begin, combine water, cinnamon, cloves and orange and allow to boil. Add tejocotes and simmer for about 5 minutes until they’re soft. Remove from pot, half, remove pits and skins. Add back into pot. Add all remaining ingredients, stir everything together and simmer for about 30 minutes. The aroma that fills your home is worth a thousand words and is definitely worth the effort it takes to make this punch – which really is not that much.
*Instead of grating the piloncillo I cheat and use granulated pearls that can be purchased in a bag- see first photo. They are the exact same product as the cone, just minus the effort and sticky hands.
Tips:
I don’t skin my fruit. I wash thoroughly, slice or half and add to the pot.
To cut back on the sugar, use half a bag of piloncillo instead of an entire cone. The fruit, piloncillo and sugar cane are heaps of sweetness.
After the punch cooled, I strained fruit from liquid and cooled over night. I then reintroduced the fruit back into the pot with a fresh 8 cups of water, fresh cinnamon sticks, half a bag of piloncillo, 5 new cloves and one new orange. I let the entire batch simmer for 30 minutes. The second batch is 99% as good as the original. It makes a great way to use the fruit again.
The fruit can be eaten with the punch in a mug and topped with cream or it can be eaten separately…also with a dollop of heavy cream. Regardless of which way you choose, enjoy this magnificent holiday punch!
