Happy Tuesday, everyone!
First–winners! The winner of a free download of A Very Tudor Christmas is Lesley A! Email me at amccabe7551 AT yahoo and I will get your copy out to you…
I hope you all have your Thanksgiving plans for next week (my family is going out, because 1-no one wants to get up in the middle of the night to cook the turkey and 2-no one wants to clean up after!), and that you haven’t yet turned on your Christmas lights, as my across-the-street neighbor has (seriously, dude!! It is not even near December yet!). In the meantime, I am working on a fun new project with a group of writer friends I have “martini night” with every Friday. (though weirdly, none of us drink straight-up martinis). It’s a series of 4 connected novellas set in a 1920s speakeasy, based on the bar where we meet (which is a very old building, but I think it was actually a doughnut shop in the 1920s…). I will have many more details later, but in the meantime I was wondering what a Regency gentleman or lady might enjoy for a holiday time libation.
So I Googled “18th century punch”….
Here is a great article from Saveur.com about the history of punch (check out the “Regent’s Punch” with over 10 ingredients!!)
Here is a recipe that would, as my grandfather used to say when he took a particularly hearty shot of some kind of bourbon, “put hair on your chest,” and one called Fish House Punch, after a tavern in Philadelphia…
½ pint light-bodied West Indies Rum (a.k.a. light Puerto Rican or Cuban)
½ pint peach brandy
½ pint lemon juice
5 tablespoons bitters (Angostura is about the only kind left and this recipe uses about half a bottle)
4 tabelspoons brown sugarStir thoroughly. Pour over a large block of ice. Add 2-3 pints effervescent mineral water
- Peels of 8 lemons
- 2.5 cups Demerara sugar
- 16 oz Boiling water
- 16 oz Fresh lemon juice
- 1 (750-mL) bottle Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum (or other strong, pungent Jamaican rum)
- 12 oz VSOP cognac
- 12 oz Real peach brandy*
- 3 qt (96 oz) Cold water
- Garnish: Grated nutmeg
- Glass: Punch
PREPARATION:
At least a day ahead, fill a 2-quart bowl with water and freeze until completely solid. In a large punch bowl, muddle the lemon peels and sugar. Let the mixture stand for at least 3 hours. Add the boiling water, stirring until as much as possible of the sugar has dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. To serve, add the ice block and garnish liberally with freshly grated nutmeg. This recipe serves 25.
What are you planning to drink for your holiday???
One of my favorite Finger Lakes wineries, Prejean, had a buy 2 get one free of their Gewurztraminer, which is almost as fun to say as it is to drink. So that’s what I’m bringing to the UU church potluck. (I’m bringing sweet potatoes, too.)
LOL, Elena! it IS fun to say Gewurtztraminer….
My sister and I got an wonderful hot berry cider recipe that we love to make for the holidays. You can make it with or without alcohol…I highly recommend trying it!
Spiced Blackberry Cranberry Cider
4 Cups Apple juice or cider
2 C. Cranberry juice or cranberry blend
2 C. Frozen berry mix (I used raspberry/blackberry/blueberry mix, in the past I have used a mix with strawberries too)
–(instead of fruit you can use 2 C. of blackberry juice (this I have yet to find)
1/2 tsp. Allspice (ground or whole)
1/2 tsp. Whole cloves
1/4 tsp. Ground nutmeg
4 packets of splenda or 8 tsp of sugar (I just do sugar to taste- sometimes not at all depending on the types of juice you use)
Combine all ingredients, bring to boil, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer 20 minutes remove from heat and strain.
Add hot water to taste – about 1 cup. (I don’t usually add water, I might add more apple or cranberry juice to extend it because I like the flavor to stay strong. I also have thrown all the ingredients into a crockpot and kept it going that way for hours. Also, you don’t have to strain it, sometimes the berries floating in your drink can be a big hit, my coworker started making this for her family get-togethers and she says the kids loved to leave the berries in. My husband and his family likes to add alcohol to theirs, like brandy or rum. )