OH y’all… on weekends like we’ve had, I feel like a little daffodil peeking out of my leaves and praying for more warmth and sunshine. I LOVE winter, but gosh, when the sun is warm and bright after some grey, cold weeks, I just can’t help but get excited for spring. Yesterday it was so gorgeous and Wagner and I were having so much fun being outside, I called my friend Lauren to come over for a drink on the porch. She couldn’t make it, but I had made a batch of a punch that is JUST RIGHT for warm, sunshiney days, so I had a little sip by myself. 
You’ll DEFINITELY want to make your own batch for this weekend, but since it has to steep for a couple of days, make it NOW so you’re ready for your weekend picnic, or porch sitting, or tailgating.
On my recent travels, I’ve noticed that big city bars and cool restaurants have been making their own punches lately. I don’t live (or want to live) in a big city, so this is my way of capturing the concept in my own little kitchen. What’s even more awesome is that the basis of this comes from a nearly 200 year old “punch”recipe from the Bayou Cuisine cookbook, so I guess the lesson here is that all trends DO come back around. Even if it takes 200 years.
Made with Bourbon, dark rum, lemon juice, sugar and green tea, this punch is refreshing, sweet (but not too sweet), very pretty, can be made EASILY in bulk and in advance, and packs a punch. A big one. In fact, if the punch is too strong for you, you can add some soda water to tone it down a bit.
I think it’s PERFECT for a ladies luncheon (with ladies who don’t mind a strong drink), a fun springtime picnic, a wedding signature drink, OR a college graduation fete, or, you know, just drinking by yourself on a Saturday afternoon watching reruns of A Chef’s Life. Not that I’d know anything about that…
2 Cups Bourbon
2 Cups good Jamaican Dark Rum
The Juice of 6 Lemons + Rinds
2 Cups Sugar
6-8 Cups strong green tea
1 Very Large Mason jar (highly recommend) or 6-8 clean clear glass bottles + caps (you can save them from your own beer drinking OR buy them at your brewing supply store)
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