Strawberry Julep Punch

There really isn’t anything better than sharing seasonal delights with your friends and guests — we’ve waited through a long, hard winter for ripe fruits, fresh herbs and the warm weather to enjoy them. For summer deck parties, putting everything in a bowl and allowing participants to serve themselves is the best way to go. With all this in mind, the Cocktail Vultures have a new summer punch for you. You can take care of several steps in the process earlier in the day or the night before.

Amounts for this recipe depend solely upon how big a bowl of punch you want to make. We formulated it using equal amounts of the three major ingredients. If you and your guests are lightweights, you can cut back on the bourbon a tad, but not by more than half.

Prep: Minted Bourbon

To a large glass container (a big Mason jar works great), add a few handfuls of fresh mint. Add bourbon and muddle — don’t go crazy, just press it. If you’re using a Mason jar, you can seal and shake it a bit.

Prep: Strawberry Purée

To a large saucepan, add 2 pints of hulled strawberries, 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Muddle the strawberries lightly, then let cool and place in a blender. Blenderize until smooth. Chill in an airtight container.

Prep: Tea

Brew a quart or two (depending upon your plans) of strong, black tea, such as Irish Breakfast. Chill.

To a punch bowl, add equal amounts of minted bourbon, strawberry purée and cold tea. Toss in a few scoops of crushed ice to get the chilling started. Stir to combine. Now add a mountain of crushed ice to the center of the bowl and garnish with fresh mint and whole strawberries.

Let frosty, fruity fun prevail!

Always drink responsibly; always drink well.