Tizana, Venezuela’s Sparkly Fruit Punch for All Ages

The Venezuelan tizana is beautiful—beautiful to look at and beautifully flexible. This sparkling fruit punch is right at any kind of event, any time of year, for any kind of crowd.

”I’ll make a tizana for a weekend gathering, or maybe a special breakfast. Or a big party. Really, it’s for any occasion when you want to serve a refreshing bebida,” says Liliana Hernandez, one of our favorite Venezuelan cocineras. “Remember, Venezuela is a tropical country and it is hot year round, so a cool, sparkling beverage is welcome any time of year. This one is bright, colorful, chilled and filled with delicious fruit.”

It’s especially great for parties with kids, Liliana says—“obviously, without adding any alcohol. You can add sparkling water like Pellegrino or Perrier, or club soda, if you wish.”

If you are having a grown-up gathering and want to spike your tizana, go for it, Liliana says. Just add sparkling cider, Champagne or prosecco, to taste.

Best of all is how the tizana looks, Liliana adds. The punch is gorgeous, with so many colors: the ruby-red of the grenadine, the yellows and oranges of citrus, kiwi greens, watermelon pale pinks. Make sure the tizana is really cold before pouring it in a chilled punch bowl or glass pitcher to show off its hues, she advises, and you are sure to serve it to oohs and aahs.

Another tizana plus: you can make it with any combo of fruit. Pick all your favorites. For Lililian this would include: mango, parchita or passion fruit, grapes, kiwi and peaches. Or make it with only fruit that’s in season. Or you might want to go the all-citrus route and double up on oranges, lemons, limes and passion fruit. Or, if you prefer your drink on the sweet side, add more bananas, mangos and grenadine syrup.

The tizana can endlessly flex—and is a sure hit at any gathering, large or intimate, for young or old, back home in Venezuela or here in the States, Liliana promises. ¡Salud!

For more of Liliana’s authentic Venezuelan family recipes, try her life-changing bienmesabe cake, asado negro main dish for celebrations, handmade toasted corn flour arepas, reina pepiada and carne mechada arepa fillings, and her mother’s go-to ensalada rusa potato salad. All are delicioso. And be sure to check out Liliana on her YouTube channel Mi Show de Cocina, where she is working her way through favorite Venezuelan dishes.

Tizana, Venezuela’s Sparkly Fruit Punch for All Ages

Recipe by Liliana Hernández

5.0 from 1 vote

Cuisine: Venezuelan

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 watermelon, juiced

• 4 oranges, juiced

• 6 to 8 limes, juiced

• 2 cups oranges, chopped (about 4 oranges)

• 2 cups mandarin orange slices (about 4 mandarins)

• 2 cups watermelon, cubed (about ½ watermelon)

• 1/2 cup grenadine syrup, or to taste

• 2 cups bananas, sliced (about 4 bananas)

• 1 cup strawberries, sliced

• sparkling cider, Champagne or prosecco, if you want to add alcohol, to taste

• Sparkling water or club soda, if you want nonalcoholic, to taste

• 2 cups pineapple, cubed (about 1 pineapple)

Directions

• Wash the fruit.
• Blend ½ the watermelon until it turns into juice. Set aside.
• Squeeze the oranges and limes. Add their juice to the watermelon liquid.
• Peel and chop all the rest of the fruit into small cubes.
• Note: If using bananas and/or strawberries, chop these two last so that they don’t oxidize and change colors. When ready, cut them into thin slices and place directly in the fruit liquid.
• In a large bowl, place all the chopped fruit (except the bananas and strawberries).
• Add the juices and grenadine syrup.
• Add the bananas and strawberries last.
• Stir gently and place in the refrigerator to chill.
• When the punch is cold and your gathering is starting, if you wish to add alcohol, mix in chilled sparkling cider, Champagne or prosecco, to taste.
• Alternately, if you wish to keep the punch nonalcoholic, add sparkling water or club soda, to taste.
• When ready to serve, ladle a generous, cold scoop or two of colorful fruit and liquid into each glass.

Notes

• The quantity and types of fruit can vary person by person, gathering by gathering, season by season.