OLD RECIPES.
First and foremost among compound drinks, with regard to priority of date, stands Hydromel, the favourite beverage of the ancient Britons, which is probably the same as that made and used at the present day under the name of Metheglin, a word derived from the Welsh Medey-glin, and spoken of by Howell, who was Clerk to the Privy Council in 1640. In ancient times, however, this compound was made by simply diluting honey with water; but at the present day, substances are usually added to it to cause it to ferment; and when made in this way, it differs little from mead or bragget.
Metheglin.
To nine gallons of boiling water put twenty-eight pounds of honey, add the peel of three lemons, with a small quantity of ginger, mace, cloves, and rosemary; when this is quite cold, add two tablespoonfuls of yeast. Put this into a cask, and allow it to ferment; at the expiration of six months, bottle it off for use.
Another favourite drink in olden times was that called "Lamb's Wool," which derived its name from the 1st of November, a day dedicated to the angel presiding over fruits and seeds, and termed "La Mas-ubal," which has subsequently been corrupted into "lamb's wool."
Lamb's Wool.
To one quart of strong hot ale add the pulp of six roasted apples, together with a small quantity of grated nutmeg and ginger, with a sufficient quantity of raw sugar to sweeten it; stir the mixture assiduously, and let it be served hot.
Of equal antiquity, and of nearly the same composition, is the Wassail Bowl, which in many parts of England is still partaken of on Christmas Eve, and is alluded to by Shakspeare in his "Midsummer Night's Dream." In Jesus College, Oxford, we are told, it is drunk on the Festival of St. David, out of a silver gilt bowl holding ten gallons, which was presented to that College by Sir Watkin William Wynne, in 1732.
The Wassail Bowl.
Put into a quart of warm beer one pound of raw sugar, on which grate a nutmeg and some ginger; then add four glasses of sherry and two quarts more of beer, with three slices of lemon; add more sugar, if required, and serve it with three slices of toasted bread floating in it.
Another genus of beverages, if so it may be termed, of considerable antiquity, comprise those compositions having milk for their basis, or, as Dr. Johnson describes them, "milk curdled with wine and other acids," known under the name of Possets—such as milk-posset, pepper-posset, cider-posset, or egg-posset. Most of these, now-a-days, are restricted to the bed-chamber, where they are taken in cases of catarrh, to act as agreeable sudorifics. They appear to us to be too much associated with tallow applied to the nose to induce us to give recipes for their composition, although in olden times they seem to have been drank on festive occasions, as Shakspeare says
"We will have a posset at the end of a sea-coal fire;"
and Sir John Suckling, who lived in the early part of the 17th century, has in one of his poems the line—
"In came the bridesmaids with the posset."
The Grace-cup and Loving-cup appear to be synonymous terms for a beverage the drinking of which has been from time immemorial a great feature at the corporation dinners in London and other large towns, as also at the feasts of the various trade companies and the Inns of Court, and which is a compound of wine and spices, formerly called "Sack." It is handed round the table before the removal of the cloth, in large silver cups, from which no one is allowed to drink before the guest on either side of him has stood up; the person who drinks then rises and bows to his neighbours. This custom is said to have originated in the precaution to keep the right or dagger hand employed, as it was a frequent practice with the Danes to stab their companions in the back at the time they were drinking. The most notable instance of this was the treachery employed by Elfrida, who stabbed King Edward the Martyr at Corfe Castle whilst thus engaged. At the Temple the custom of the Loving-cup is strictly observed. The guests are only supposed to take one draught from it as it passes; but, in No. 110 of the 'Quarterly Review,' a writer says, "Yet it chanced, not long since at the Temple, that, though the number present fell short of seventy, thirty-six quarts of the liquor were consumed."
Julep, derived from the Persian word Julap (a sweetened draught), is a beverage spoken of by John Quincey, the physician, who died in 1723, and also mentioned by Milton in the lines—
..... "Behold this cordial Julep here,
That foams and dances in his crystal bounds,
With spirits of balm and fragrant syrups mix'd."
This drink is now made by pounding ice and white sugar together, and adding to it a wine-glass of brandy, half a wine-glass of rum, and a piece of the outer rind of a lemon; these ingredients are shaken violently, and two or three sprigs of fresh mint are stuck in the glass; it is then usually imbibed through a straw, or stick of maccaroni.
One of the oldest of winter beverages, and an especial favourite, both in ancient and modern times, in our Universities, is "Bishop," also known on the Continent under the somewhat similar name of Bischof. This, according to Swift, is composed of
..... "Fine oranges,
Well roasted, with sugar and wine in a cup,
They'll make a sweet Bishop when gentlefolks sup."
This recipe is given verbatim, in 'Oxford Night-caps.'
MODERN RECIPES.
PUNCH.
The origin of this word is attributed by Dr. Doran, in his 'History of Court Fools,' to a club of Athenian wits; but how he could possibly connect the word Punch with these worthies, or derive it from either their sayings or doings, we are totally at a loss to understand. Its more probable derivation is from the Persian Punj, or from the Sanscrit Pancha, which denotes the usual number of ingredients of which it is composed, viz. five. In an old book of travels dated 1639, a certain drink is mentioned called Palepuntz, used by the English at Surat, composed of brandy, rose-water, citron-juice, and sugar, the acid principle being absent. We may here mention parenthetically that 'Punch, or The London Charivari,' was started by five men, of whom three were "Lemons," viz. Mark Lemon, its editor, Leman Rede, and Laman Blanchard. Thus 'Punch' was made with "Lemon-ade."
Punch.
Extract the oil from the rind of a large lemon by rubbing it with lumps of sugar; add the juice of two lemons and of two Seville oranges, together with the finely pared rind; put this into a jug with one pint of old rum, one pint of brandy, and half a pound of powdered lump sugar; stir well together, then add one pint of infusion of green tea and one quart of boiling water. Mix well, and let it be served quite hot. This is an excellent recipe for ordinary Punch; and the addition of green tea cannot be too strongly recommended. In order to give Punch a delicious softness, one pint of calves'-foot jelly should be added to the above recipe. The addition of two glasses of sherry will also be found an improvement.
Noyau Punch
is made by adding two glasses of noyau to the above recipe.
A tablespoonful of Guava jelly administers a fine flavour to a bowl of Punch. Preserved tamarinds, put into Punch, impart a flavour closely resembling arrack; and a piece or two of preserved ginger, with a little of the syrup, added to Punch, acts as a stimulant, and prevents any ill effects which might otherwise arise from the acids it contains.
Gin Punch.
As a mild summer drink, and one readily made, we recommend Gin Punch, according to the following recipe:—
Stir the rind of a lemon, and the juice of half a one, in half a pint of gin; add a glass of Maraschino, half a pint of water, and two tablespoonfuls of pounded white sugar, and, immediately before serving, pour in two bottles of iced soda-water.
Whisky Punch.
To one pint of whisky and two glasses of brandy add the juice and peel of one lemon and a wine-glassful of boiling ale; well stir into it half a pound of powdered sugar, and add a quart of boiling water. This is said to be the most fascinating tipple ever invented; and, to quote the words of Basil Hall, "It brightens a man's hopes, crumbles down his difficulties, softens the hostility of his enemies, and, in fact, induces him for the time being to think generously of all mankind, at the tiptop of which it naturally and good-naturedly places his own dear self."
If well made, in our opinion, there is no beverage, in point of generosity and delicacy of flavour, that can compare with Milk Punch, for the compounding of which, after numerous trials, we offer the following recipe as the simplest and best.
Milk Punch.
To the rinds of twelve lemons and two Seville oranges add 2½ pounds of loaf sugar, a bottle of pale brandy, and a bottle and a half of old rum, with a sufficient quantity of grated nutmeg. Let this mixture stand for a week; then add the juice of the fruit, with five pints of water; lastly, add one quart of boiling milk, and, after letting it stand for an hour, filter the whole through jelly-bags till it is clear.
Bottle for use. The longer it is kept, the better it will be.
In Cambridge (a town of no mean authority in such matters) Milk Punch is made after the following fashion.
Milk Punch, No. 2.
Boil together a quart of milk, four ounces of loaf sugar, a small stick of cinnamon, and the peel of one lemon; then beat together the yolks of three eggs and the white of one; add the boiling compound very gradually, and keep continually stirring the mixture while you pour into it a wine-glassful of rum and one of noyau. Serve hot.
The following compound is said to have been held in high esteem by the Prince Regent, from whom it derives its name.
Regent's Punch.
To a pint of strongly made green tea add the rinds and juice of two lemons, one Seville orange, and one sweet orange, with half a pound of loaf sugar and a small stick of cinnamon. After standing for half an hour, strain the mixture, add a bottle of champagne, half a bottle of sherry, three wine-glasses of brandy; rum, Curaçoa, and noyau, of each a wine-glass, and a pint of pine-apple syrup.
Ice the compound well, and, immediately before drinking, add a bottle of soda-water.
Cold Milk Punch (German Recipe).
Take the finely shredded rind of one, and the juice of three, lemons, one bottle of rum, one pint of arrack, half a pound of loaf sugar, and a quart of cold water. When the sugar is melted, pour one quart of boiling milk on the above, cover it closely for four hours, and run it through a bag, as it should be quite bright.
Many other recipes for Punch might be added, as, for instance, Egg Punch, Almond Punch, Punch à la Romaine, Spiced Punch, Red Punch, Leander Punch, &c.; but the few we have prescribed will be found reliable, so we refrain from swelling the list.
The simple admixture of spirits and water is known either by the name of Toddy, which is a corruption of an Indian word, Taddi (the sap of the palm tree), or by the more truly English appellation of Grog, which thus derives its cognomen. Before the time of Admiral Vernon, rum was given to the seamen in its raw state; but he ordered it to be diluted, previously to delivery, with a certain quantity of water. This watering of their favourite liquor so incensed the tars that they nicknamed the Admiral "Old Grog," in allusion to a grogram coat which he was in the habit of wearing.
Addison gives a humorous account of a Tory squire whom he met by chance in a country ride, and who maintained, over a bowl of punch, to which he was evidently addicted, that England would do very well if it would content itself with its own productions and not depend upon foreigners. Addison reminded him, to his great discomfiture, that, of the favourite drink he was enjoying, the water was the only constituent of English production, and that the brandy, lemon, spice, and sugar were all foreigners.