Bourbon Slush

Once upon a time, I hated whiskey. Not only I couldn't stand the taste of it, the smell nauseated me. It reminded me of dirty old men, Old Spice, and desperation. It was the polar opposite of Tequila, which has a feminine, breezy, and jaunty scent. While Tequila inspired me, whiskey repulsed me.

My perception of whiskey changed during a weekend trip to Nashville. One day we took a little scenic drive to Lynchburg, TN, the home of the Jack Daniels' distillery. After an amazing guided tour where I was immersed in the history, culture, and lore of whiskey I was smitten. I was inspired to develop a love of whiskey.

I stumbled a bit in my quest because it was so difficult for me to get past the smell. I know this is quirky and anti man-with-no-name behavior, but I'm just being honest. Eventually, with the help of some great drink recipes on the Jack Daniels' website and this bourbon slush recipe, I developed a love of whiskey. It's an ingredient that I've gradually incorporated into my cooking. Down the road, I share a bread pudding recipe with a Jack Daniels' sauce.

Now this bourbon slush isn't a photogenic drink, so I didn't include any photographs. However, it is a great drink to sip under a shade tree on a hot, summer day. It's a sweet drink, so I can only drink one glass in a sitting, which is good because we all know that moderation is a good thing. The following is the recipe that inspired me to love whiskey (You have to start somewhere):

Ingredients:

• 7 cups water
• 3 cups bourbon
• 12 oz frozen lemonade
• 6 oz frozen orange juice
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 cups strong tea
  

Directions:

Mix all ingredients a day ahead and place in freezer. When ready to serve, take out of freezer and put desired amount in blender for a second or put in a bowl and mix till it is semi-liquified. Serve in old-fashioned glasses.

Cheers,
muddywaters