Start your new year with a punch - make mine a Bellini.

There's nothing as inviting as the sight of a bowl of punch at a party on a warm and balmy night. A big glass bowl overflowing with booze, ice-cubes and fresh fruit, veggies or mint, accompanied by the communal spoon and the row of empty cups recall the wassail bowl at a viking banquet. I remember childhood parties where there would be two punch bowls - one with booze for the grown-ups and a fruity, grog-free concoction for the kiddies. The latter for some reason always had chunks of canned pineapple floating in it...

To celebrate this party tradition, let me share with you my recipe for a Bellini Pack-a Punch. I served this on New Year's Eve to great acclaim.

You will need:

1 x retro punch bowl with glasses (serves 12)

2 x bottles sparkling wine (Don't splash out - go cheap and even better - Italian!)

1 x bottle peach liqueur or peach Schnapps

1 x bottle soda or plain sparkling mineral water

6-8 x white peaches (use yellow if you can't find white)

1 x freezer tray of ice cubes

Generous sprig of fresh mint

Method

Wash, stone and chop peaches (Don't peel). Blitz in a blender with a little water until pureed and frothy. This should be like a thick juice.

Mix all the liquids together in the punch bowl until well-combined. Once the froth settles, pour in the ice-cubes and drop in the fresh mint.

Always make sure you stir thoroughly before filling cups as the fruit and booze finds its way to the bottom of the bowl.

Enjoy.