Deysi Alvarez Unveils Ponche Recipes for You
Spiced Honey Ponche with ground cinnamon and winter-warming rum. Honey Salvadorian Ponche with the soothing taste of chamomile and refreshing pineapple.
This holiday season expert mixologist Deysi Alvarez teams up with the National Honey Board (NHB) to reinvent the traditional Latin American ponches of the winter holidays and introduces them with the distinctive flavor of the natural sweetener she grew up with: honey!
Traditional ponches are enjoyed during Las Posadas, a centuries-old festivity observed throughout Latin America to remember Mary and Joseph seeking shelter before the birth of baby Jesus. They are also served during Christmas and New Year’s Eve when people enjoy the aromatic drinks with friends and family.
As a Latina, Deysi Alvarez grew up observing Las Posadas and always looked forward to the tasty drinks, which influenced her to develop her own original recipes.
“The key to making the perfect ponche is using natural, fresh ingredients and you don’t get any more natural than honey,” states Deysi. “Its unbeatable flavor complements liquor, fruits and spices beautifully. I feel strongly that once you’ve tried these recipes, honey will become your secret ingredient for the most delicious ponches.”
Working alongside top mixologist Julian Cox and chef Ricardo Zarate as a full time fixture at the West LA Picca Cantina Restaurant, Deysi has learned the importance of only using quality ingredients such as honey.
She collaborated with the NHB to create honey-infused holiday ponches that explore the unique, aromatic qualities of honey and pair it with traditional ponche ingredients, like apples and cinnamon, to develop what are sure to become the hit of the season and the new holiday staples, believes NHB.
Deysi’s honey-infused ponche recipes can be found at www.mielpura.org.
The National Honey Board is a federal research and promotion board that conducts research, marketing and promotion programs to help maintain and expand markets for honey and honey products.
