Lemon Drop Champagne Punch

Recipe:

3 lemons, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 bottle (750 milliliters) Sparkling Wine or Champagne, chilled

3/4 cup vodka, chilled

4 ounces candied lemon peels

Directions:

  1. With a vegetable peeler, remove zest from each lemon in a long, continuous spiral. Juice lemons, and strain pulp (you should have 3/4 cup juice). Set aside.
  2. Heat sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add zest. Let syrup cool completely, about 2 hours.
  3. Pour Champagne, vodka, lemon juice, and syrup into a punch bowl; stir. Serve glasses of punch with candied peels.

Serves 6-8

(Recipe and Photo Credit: Martha Stewart.com)