"While this isn’t a red, white and blue punch in color, it is aptly named for patriotic revelry," says Seattle-based A.J. Rathbun, senior editor for Amazon.com's kitchen department. "It features bourbon in a big way, which is nice, since bourbon may be the most American of liquors."

Rathbun will include this recipe in his upcoming book Good Spirits: Recipes, Revelations, Refreshments, and Romance, Shaken and Served with a Twist (Harvard Common Press). "Just don’t let a firecracker land in the middle of the punch bowl, or it’ll mess up the festivities," he says.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

block of ice (or cracked ice)
750 ml. bottle bourbon
10 oz. orange Curacao
750 ml. bottle champagne
5 oz. fresh lemon juice
8 oz. simple syrup

Instructions:

1. Add the ice to a punch bowl (if using cracked ice, fill above the half way point).
2. Add bourbon, Curacao, lemon juice and syrup. Using a long spoon, stir 50 times (plus once for Puerto Rico).
3. Add the champagne. Stir briefly. Serve in punch glasses or wine glasses.

(Recipe courtesy A.J.Rathbun)

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