You don't need a witch-hunt to scare up some brew

When the witches of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" concocted a brew, it was quite a to-do: "Eye of newt, and toe of frog, wool of bat, and tongue of dog, adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting, lizard's leg, and howlet's wing, for a charm of powerful trouble, like a hell-broth boil and bubble."

But there's no need to go to so much trouble when fruit juices, sodas and sherbets will do. The following simple recipes are all you need to prepare a delicious Halloween punch.

To cast a spooky spell, serve your liquid potion in a black cauldron surrounded by dry ice, or keep it cool using frozen cubes of gummy worms and other edible creatures.

Happy Halloween.

WITCH'S BREW

1 (6-ounce) package lime gelatin

2 cups boiling water

3 cups chilled pineapple juice

1 (2-liter) bottle chilled lemon-lime soft drink or ginger ale

2 cups chilled vodka, optional

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:

1 block dry ice (available at supermarkets)

1 large black plastic cauldron (available at craft stores or supermarkets)

1 punch bowl that fits into cauldron

Pour gelatin mix into large bowl. Slowly stir in boiling water. Stir at least 2 minutes until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in pineapple juice. Let cool to room temperature.

With tongs, place block of dry ice in bottom of cauldron. Dry ice will burn skin, so handle with care and keep away from children and pets. Use ice pick to break block into small chunks.

Fill cauldron with enough water to cover dry ice, which will create a cool steam. Place punch bowl inside cauldron on top of dry ice.

Carefully pour drink mixture into punch bowl. Slowly add lemon-lime soda or ginger ale and, if using, the vodka. Stir gently to mix.

VAMPIRE BLOOD DRINK

1 gallon cranberry juice

1 gallon orange juice

1 cup raspberry sorbet, softened

1 quart seltzer

Mix juices together. Add sorbet and stir until it disappears. Add seltzer. Chill before serving.

PUTRID PUNCH

1 (13-ounce) package lemon-lime Kool-Aid

1 cup sugar

8 cups water

1 can frozen orange-juice concentrate

4 cups ginger ale

Ice cubes with gummy worms frozen inside

3 scoops orange sherbet

Pour Kool-Aid into punch bowl. Add sugar and water, and stir until dissolved. Stir in orange juice. Just before serving, add ginger ale and worm ice cubes and float the three scoops of sherbet on top. Yield: 14 servings.

HALLOWEEN PUNCH

1 cup water

2 tablespoons sugar

4 whole cloves

1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick

2 cups orange juice

2 cups grapefruit juice

2 cups apple cider

3/4 cup ginger ale

In small saucepan, combine water, sugar, cloves and cinnamon stick. Bring to boil and simmer 10 minutes. Cool. In large pitcher, combine everything except ginger ale. Chill in refrigerator. Just before serving, add ginger ale. Serve over ice.

BLACK HALLOWEEN PUNCH

1 (0.13-ounce) envelope unsweetened grape-drink mix

1 (0.13-ounce) envelope unsweetened orange-drink mix

2 cups white sugar

3 quarts cold water

1 liter ginger ale

Stir grape- and orange-drink mixes together with sugar and water. Stir until drink mix is dissolved. Add chilled ginger ale just before serving. Yield: 32 servings.

(Mary Constantine is a food writer at The News-Sentinel in Knoxville, Tenn. E-mail her at constantinem(at)knoxnews.com.)