Patriot's Punch

Happy July 4th everybody!  Who's ready to celebrate the birth of our nation by eating too much food, drinking a few cold beverages, and watching a few fireworks!  I know I am.

Today, I was going to post a recipe for a gorgeous steak I made the other day, but then I heard on the weather that after this morning's drenching rain that temps were going to skyrocket into the upper 90's with humidity at 90%, I decided that regardless of how awesome steak sounded, today was just a day for a really cold drink.  And when it comes to cold drinks, Liberty Tree Tavern has a signature that they've been serving in various forms for over 30 years...  The Patriot's punch.

First, let me just tell you, this drink hits the spot.  I'm not normally a fan of orange, or sherbert, or Sprite, but somehow it all comes together in this drink.  That said, I have no idea why it's called Patriot's punch.  The thing is orange and I really don't think a colonial Patriot had Sprite or sherbert back in the day.  The best that I can guess is that this drink is the non-alcoholic answer to a beer as, when it sits, a creamy foam rises to the top, leaving the drink a very rich color.  In a glass like the one they have there at Liberty Tree Tavern, it almost looks like a beer.  Am I reaching?  Well, yes...  But it sounds better than admitting it was a nice, fast, inexpensive drink to serve at Liberty Tree that is only named as it is to tie it into the theme better, doesn't it?

Happy July 4th everybody!  Enjoy, be safe, and eat like you're at Disney.

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Patriot's Punch

As is served at Liberty Tree Tavern, Magic Kingdom

°o°  1 pint orange sherbert (about 2 cups)   

°o°  1 cup Sprite

°o°  2 tbs lemonade concentrate

°o°  3/4 cup water

Remove sherbert from freezer and allow to sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes.  Place it in mixing bowl and beat until smooth on low speed.  Once smooth, add remaining ingredients and continue mixing on low speed until combined.  Pour into a pitcher and refrigerate for up to 30 minutes or serve immediately. 

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