One of the easiest ways to make a tasty, thirst-quenching drink for a crowd is to fill a pitcher or punch bowl with equal parts apple juice and ginger ale. The sweet juice and dry soda complement each other perfectly.

Feeling fancy? Make a an ice ring to float in the punch bowl. You’ll need a ring mold, made of copper or perhaps silicone (to buy a ring mold, check kitchenware stores or online auction sites like eBay). Add a layer of water, let it freeze until slushy, then arrange strawberries, grapes, peach slices or other fruit in the slush. Top with more water, and freeze until firm.

For a slightly more ambitious drink, try this recipe from a new cookbook, “Complete Book of Thai Cooking,” by Linda Stephen (Robert Rose, $24.95). The recipe gets its name from Koh Samui, a tiny island and huge tourist attraction in the gulf of Thailand.

SAMUI SEABREEZE

Yield: 6 servings

2 cups pineapple juice

1 cup mango juice or orange juice

1 cup apple juice

1/2 cup lime juice

1 cup ginger ale

6 pineapple slices

Combine juices in a large pitcher. Just before serving, stir in ginger ale.

Pour into tall glasses filled with ice cubes. Garnish with pineapple slices speared with a long toothpick or skewer.

Variations:

Sparkling Samui Seabreeze: Add about 1/2 cup Prosecco or other sparkling white wine to each glass.

Last-minute Seabreeze: In a large pitcher, combine 1 (12-ounce) can thawed pineapple juice concentrate and 1 (12-ounce) can thawed limeade concentrate. Stir in 7 cups cold water. Makes 8 to 10 servings.