Sea Foam Punch

Ahoy, mateys! Are you ready to serve up a show-stopping pirate party punch? This tasty treasure makes a great addition to any seafaring celebration. Learn how to whip up a lime-infused simple syrup to make a deliciously refreshing limeade from scratch. We’ll top it off with quick homemade grape soda (and a touch of ocean blue food coloring) for a two-toned pirate party punch. How does it work? That’s the cool part. Sugar is heavier than soda, and because there’s more sugar in the limeade than in the fizzy grape soda, the limeade can sit pretty on the bottom of your glass. Just make sure to pour the grape soda very slowly, and get ready to wow your guests. Down the hatch!

Makes:

Serves 4-6

Hands-on time:

35 minutes

Start-to-eat time:

45 minutes

Ingredients

Limeade:
1 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice (4-6 Persian limes)
3 cups water, divided
1 cup sugar
zest of 1 lime
Grape Fizz:
4 ounces purple grape juice
16 ounces sparkling water
4-5 drops blue food coloring (optional)

Kids kitchen skills:

zesting
straining
creative presentation

Tools:

measuring cups
2 pitchers or bowls
zester & citrus squeezer
stirring spoon
small pot & stirring spoon
strainer
four to six 8-ounce glasses

Step-by-step

Grown-up steps

In a pitcher, mix 2 cups of water with the lime juice and stir to combine. Set this aside for now.
Next, in a small pot, heat the remaining 1 cup of water, the sugar, and the lime zest over medium heat. Let the mixture heat for about 3-5 minutes, whisking constantly, and stop just as it comes to a boil. The sugar should be completely dissolved.
Turn off the heat, and let the syrup cool for a few minutes. Then hold a strainer over a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, and pour the simple syrup in, straining out the lime zest.
Add about 1 cup of the simple syrup to the pitcher, stir, and take a taste. Add more syrup if you’d like it sweeter. (Remember, it will eventually mix with the soda, so if it’s a little on the sweet side now that’s OK!)
Add the grape juices and sparkling water to a second pitcher or bowl, with 3-4 drops of blue food coloring, if you like.
Add ice cubes to 4-6 small clear glasses. Fill each one halfway with the limeade. Then use a ladle to very slowly pour in the grape soda, so it floats on top. Add a sprig of mint for a colorful garnish. When you’re ready, use spoons or straws to mix the two colors together, for a balanced sweet and fizzy Sea Foam Punch!