Regent's Lemon Punch

• 4 large lemons

• 2 cups water

• 3 teaspoons loose green tea (or 3 teabags worth)

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

• 1 2-liter bottle chilled carbonated water, sweetened and flavored with lemon and/or lime*

1. Roll the lemons on a hard surface to make them juicier.

2. Use a vegatable peeler or paring knife to pare the zest (the yellow part of the rind) of the lemons.

3. Cut the remaining rind (the white part) from the pulp, remove all seeds, then chop the pulp coarsely. Discard the seeds and the white rind.

4. Boil the water, pulp and zest in a non-reactive pan for 10 minutes. Let cool for 1 minute off of the heat.

5. While the lemon mixture is boiling, if you like, put the tea leaves in a coffee filter tied with string or stapled closed, or in a large tea bag. This makes it simpler to remove the tea later.

6. Pour the boiled mixture over the tea leaves in a heat-proof bowl or teapot, stir and let steep for 3 minutes. Then pour through a mesh strainer.

7. Stir in the sugar and let the mixture chill.

8. To serve in the most Regency of fashions, pour mixture into a punch bowl and add the carbonated water mixture. (It all can also be served in a pitcher, or just directly in glasses.)

* About 3/4 - 1 cup juice of lemon and/or lime. Make it as sweet as you like!