Emeril Lagasse’s Bourbon Spiked Sweet Tea

- 3 quarts water
- 8 orange pekoe tea bags
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2-3 cups bourbon, to taste

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, and remove from the heat. Add the tea bags, sugar and orange, lemon and lime juices. Allow the tea to steep for 10 minutes, remove the tea bags and cool the tea. Stir to be sure that the sugar is dissolved, and place in a large pitcher. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Just before serving, add the bourbon to the tea and serve in tall glasses filled with ice. Garnish with orange, lemon and/or lime slices.

Yield: about 1 gallon