Southern bourbon holiday punch

Made with sweet tea, fresh lemon and good bourbon, this Southern bourbon punch is the perfect drink for a holiday party or any festive entertaining.

I bet you've been wondering why it's been a little quiet around Yankee Kitchen Ninja lately. If you subscribe to my recipe newsletter, you may have noticed that I'm not posting as much. It's time to tell you why.

Hold on to your hats: We're moving. Again. Right before Christmas.

It's turned out to be a much shorter stay here in Kentucky than we planned, as work has called us back to the East Coast. To Maryland, more precisely -- which is the first place we ever lived together as a couple, so it's a bit like going home.

But moving is damned hard work. Which is why I haven't been able to devote as much time to you as I'd like lately. And this move is happening right smack in the middle of the holiday season, leaving me no opportunity for all the holiday decorating, baking and eating that I look forward to all year long.

But I've managed to sneak in some drinking. (Heck, I'm going to need more than a little drinking to get through all this!)

So my parting recipe upon leaving Kentucky is most apropos: Southern bourbon holiday punch, an homage to my brief return to the South and the home of the best bourbon anywhere.

I've dubbed this punch Southern largely because its core ingredients are sweet ice tea with lemon and bourbon -- not much more Southern than that, friends. Plus, this punch is tasty and genteel yet packs a boozy wallop -- also very Southern, in my experience. It's the perfect party sipper for a crowd, whether you're hosting a holiday party or just entertaining the family.

Or packing boxes.

As we move, my posting will be sporadic for the next few weeks, but don't worry: I haven't cancelled Detox January. So hurry up and live it up with some Southern holiday punch.

What's your favorite boozy holiday concoction? Leave a comment: The Ninj wants to know.

Southern Bourbon Holiday Punch

(adapted from Garden and Gun)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar
4 cups brewed black tea, cooled (I use decaf)
4 cups bourbon
2 cups spiced rum
2 cups brandy
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 cups water

Directions:
In a large pitcher or punch bowl, add the sugar to the tea and stir to dissolve. Add all the remaining ingredients, stir well and chill. Serve in small glasses, as this punch goes down easily but packs a wallop.

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