Bourbon Peach Punch Food

BOURBON PUNCH

Steps:

• Combine one 24-ounce bottle nonalcoholic sparkling apple cider with two 12-ounce bottles hard pear cider in a pitcher. Stir in 1 cup bourbon and add ice. Pour into 8 glasses and garnish with sliced pears.

BOURBON PEACH SMASH

Steps:

• Bring the sugar, 1/2 cup water and ginger to a simmer in a small saucepan. Tear and add in 4 of the mint leaves. Once the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes, turn of the heat. Strain and set aside to cool.
• Slice the peach into slices, reserving 2 for garnish. Add the peaches, the remaining mint, and the lime quarters to a cocktail shaker. Mash with a muddler until broken up and juicy. Add the bourbon and muddle again. Add 2 ounces of the simple syrup, fill the shaker with ice and shake.
• Strain into 2 cups filled with ice. Top off with ginger beer, garnish each with a peach slice, a lime slice and a sprig of mint.

BOURBON PEACHES

Steps:

• Select your peaches, its best if you have a relationship with a particular orchard.
• I always buy my peaches at Gold's Orchard, in Stonewall, Texas.
• Lynette Gold gives me the heads up by email when to run on over and pick up those wonderful sweet perfect peaches that the family grows.
• Make sure that the peach is freestone.
• Bring a large pot filled half way with water to a boil, reduce the heat and keep just at a low boil.
• Place whole peaches in water for 2 minutes (this may vary, depending on the ripeness of the peach-the riper they are the shorter it will take) Remove from water, let cool until you can handle the fruit.
• Remove pit by slicing peach in half length-wise, then peel.
• Place fruit in clean hot jars (I use wide mouth jars for this).
• Pack tightly.
• Meanwhile, Take 4 cups sugar, 2 cups filtered water, 2 cups bourbon (I use Ira's Canadian Hunter) Cinnamon to taste, Nutmeg to taste and Allspice berries- about 10 or so- bring to a boil, stir until sugar is dissolved- let simmer while peeling peaches.
• Should be reduced by 1/3.
• Ladle bourbon syrup over peaches, leaving about 1 inch head space at the top of the jar.
• Use new seals and clean rings, screwing tightly down on the top of the jar.
• Place jars in boiling water bath for 45 minutes.
• When you remove the jars from the water bath, the bourbon syrup should still be boiling.
• Set jars aside, allow to cool.