Hocus Pocus Punch

A very Macbeth Halloween:

"Double, double toil and trouble;

fire burn and cauldron bubble."

-Shakespeare, Macbeth

Yesterday was dreadful, so dreadful that I don't think I can put you, my generous and supportive audience, through the laborious task of reading exactly what happened. I'll just say this: you will have to wait until November for "Cinnamon Apple Chips". There. Of course, I was kindly reminded later that, all things considered, the day wasn't as dreadful as I was making it out to be. Feeling as melancholy as I was at the time, despite that very sage advice, I couldn't help but be reminded of Shakespeare's "Macbeth". Who else could relate to so much extensive planning going so wrong so quickly? So I burned the apple chips, to a robust black crisp, after spending the better part of two days prepping them for dehydration... Better burned chips than guilt driven insanity, regicide and an untimely beheading. Don't we all feel better now? Never fear, this recipe is only insanely easy-and pretty fool proof. Adding a few drops of food coloring turns these drinks from a classic punch to a frosty, creamy brew perfect for Halloween.

Notes: I like ginger-ale, especially the really zippy stuff, but feel free to try any other lemon-lime soda or maybe even a bubbly fruit drink. Feel free to play around with the colors (black, red, purple etc) and your ratios of ice cream to sherbet, too!

Ingredients:

Serves 6

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream

1/2 gallon lime or orange sherbet

1 liter ginger ale

green, black food coloring

Preparation:

1. Fill a tall glass 3/4 of the way full with vanilla ice cream. Add a couple of drops of food coloring (black, orange or green are good places to start).

2. Fill the glass halfway with ginger-ale. You might need to stir the food coloring around a little. 3. Finish the punch with one or two scoops of sherbet. Top the glass off with the remainder of your ginger-ale.

4. Serve immediately.