1 Juice of 8 lemons (approximately 1 cup / 240 ml)
1 ½ cups (355 ml) boiling water
12 sprigs fresh mint
1 Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
1 Whole strawberries, for garnish
1 Water, for diluting (amount to taste)
1 large piece of ice (for the punch bowl)
Instructions
1. Make the simple syrup: combine 1 quart (946 ml) water and 2 cups (400 g) sugar in a medium saucepan (3–4 qt / 2.8–3.8 L). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then boil steadily for 20 minutes. The syrup will thicken very slightly and a candy thermometer will read approximately 212–215°F (100–102°C); it should still be pourable and not caramelized.
2. Bloom the mint (steeping technique — briefly infusing fresh herb in hot liquid to extract volatile oils): separate the 12 mint sprigs into individual pieces and place them in a heatproof bowl or heavy saucepan. Pour 1½ cups (355 ml) boiling water over the mint, cover tightly with a lid or plate, and let stand in a warm place for 5 minutes, until the liquid is pale green and strongly fragrant.
3. Strain the mint infusion through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Add the strained mint liquid to the warm syrup and stir to combine.
4. Add the strawberry juice, orange juice, and lemon juice to the syrup mixture. Stir well. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, approximately 30–45 minutes, then refrigerate until cold (at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours).
5. To serve: pour the chilled fruit-and-syrup base into a punch bowl. Add the 1 pint (473 ml) claret and stir gently to combine. Add a large piece of ice to the bowl to chill the punch. Dilute with cold water to taste — begin with 1–2 cups (240–475 ml) and adjust; the punch should be pleasantly sweet-tart and not cloying.
6. Garnish the bowl with fresh mint leaves and whole strawberries. Serve immediately in punch cups or glasses.
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