July Drink of the Month - Bourbon Slush (Guest Post)

Hello loyal following (of three)! I apologize for a lack of posting this past month and a half - between kitchen renovations, anniversary celebrations, and the start of the school year, I've been quite incommunicado. But we are back with a vengeance, and I hope to have us all caught up before October hits. Let's begin with a guest post that has been sitting in my email inbox since June 23: my mom's foolproof bourbon slush recipe. She uses this for almost any occasion, and sometimes even travels with it her (like on a trip to Branson, MO a few years back). Here is her quick pitch for this recipe: "I have a great summer pre-BBQ cocktail for this summer.  My guest enjoyed them as our featured cocktail during appetizers at our Summer Solstice neighborhood cookout last night.   Even those who professed to not like Bourbon admitted that this drink goes down verrrrrry easily."

So there you go! Why not make one at home if you have the freezer space? Note: the recipe is for a batch, as freezing individual drinks is a foolish venture (and since breaking up the slush with a spoon is half the fun of making these drinks):

Ingredients: 6 cups *strong Constant Comment tea, 1 cup sugar, 12 oz frozen lemonade concentrate, 12 oz frozen orange juice concentrate, 2 cups bourbon

Preparation: Brew the tea using 4 tea bags per six cups of boiling water. Allow the tea to cool to room temperature with the tea bags still steeping. Let sit for 1-2 hours. Remove tea bags, pour the tea into a gallon pitcher, and add sugar. Stir to combine. Add lemonade & orange juice concentrates, and stir to mix. Refrigerate for one hour. Add bourbon, and place in freezer overnight. To serve, remover from freezer for 30 minutes to begin thaw. Attack with a wooden spoon, and place "crunchy layers" into a old fashioned glass. Garnish with a brandied cherry.