Fizzy Pear Ginger Punch

Ingredients

• For ginger syrup:
• 1 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thirds
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• For punch:
• 8 cups chilled pear juice, such as Looza
• 1 cup ginger syup
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3 1/2 cups seltzer
• Large ice block
• Candied ginger, for garnish

Directions

1. Make the ginger syrup: Add the ginger, water, and sugar to a medium saucepan. Bring everything up to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer until the mixture has cooked down into a syrup, about 30 minutes. Set it aside to cool.
2. Make the punch: In a large punch bowl, add the pear juice, ginger syrup, lemon juice, and ground ginger. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and evenly blended.
3. Pour in the seltzer, then stir with a light hand so you do not lose all that fizz. Add the ice block to the punch bowl.
4. For a garnish, if you like, thread 3 pieces of candied ginger onto a toothpick and set one in each cocktail glass.