Catholic Recipe: Strawberry Champagne Punch
In 1845 the Christian Brothers, a dedicated teaching order, established a monastery in California. About forty years later, they began to make wines for sacramental purposes, in the heart of California's finest wine district. Soon the quality of their wines created public interest, and this led to a highly successful venture into the commercial market. Thus the Brothers carry on a centuries-old tradition and identify with the monks of the Old World, who, in the Middle Ages and even earlier, practiced the art of wine making, never receiving any personal compensation for their labor but using all profits to further their religious work.
The Christian Brothers have collected some fine recipes using their wines, and from these we have chosen the following for your pleasure.
DIRECTIONS
Wash strawberries; hull. Place in punch bowl; sprinkle with lemon juice. Pour 1/2 bottle Rhine wine or Chablis over strawberries; let stand in refrigerator 3 hours. Just before serving, place large block of ice in bowl; add remainder of wine and champagne, all well chilled. Stir lightly, and serve in punch cups, adding some strawberries to each glass. Makes about 20 punch cup servings.
Recipe Source: Cook's Blessings, The by Demetria Taylor, Random House, New York, 1965
