Punch Recipes

Now that David Wondrich has made the punch bowl popular again, with his new book Punch, I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon and post a few holiday punch recipes I discovered in Baltimore Sun article from 1898. Actually, I found them while looking up eggnog recipes, but since they were in the article, I decided to share them with you since punch is now all the rage. Plus they are perfect for the Christmas season or any other occasion where good drink and limited effort are required.

If you haven’t picked up a copy of Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl, I’d highly recommend it. If you want to get free shipping through Amazon, just add a copy of Fix the Pumps to your purchase of Punch and all should be well.

As noted in the eggnog recipes, a wine glass is considered 2 oz (60ml), the rum should be overproof. And if you like punch, you might also want to consider Mulled Wine for a holiday beverage.

From the December 19th, 1898 edition of the Baltimore Sun

Christmas Beverages

Recipes for Punch, Eggnog and a Dozen Other Exhilarating Drinks

Yuletide Drinks, Some Time-Tried, Some Novel

A Famous Xmas Punch

One bottle raspberries, in liquor
One bottle strawberries, in liquor
One bottle cherries, brandied
Six bottles St. Juien Claret
Three bottles good rum
Three dozen oranges
Three dozen lemons
One pound of sugar
Four-quarts siphon seltzer

This punch was brewed and served by a young American hostess in Paris on the occasion of a Christmas celebration to which 100 American guests were invited. It is her own, and there is no doubt as to its qualifications as a first-class happifier. Here is how it is made:

Cut two oranges and one lemon into small slices or cubes and extract the juice of the remainder. These slices are to float in the bowl with the cherries, strawberries and raspberries. The liquor (Maraschino or Curacoa) and brandy of the berries and cherries give tone to and help sweeten the beverage.

A “Half Dozen” Punch

One pint claret
One glass rum
One whisky glass of whisky
One petit verre Benedictine
Three lemons
One pint (possibly quart) seltzer water
Half a cup sugar
A few brandied cherries or one brandied peach

For a small party of the number above mentioned here is a delicious punch:

Combine the liquor, sugar and three sliced lemons in the bowl. Add a few brandied cherries. Ice and when cold add the seltzer water.

Prince of Whales Punch

One bottle best champagne
One bottle Burgundy
One bottle Santa Cruz rum
Ten lemons
Two Oranges
One and a half pounds sugar

“Immense!” was the word used to describe this punch. There is sometimes a great deal in the way a word is said. Hence this recipe:
Squeeze the oranges and lemons into the bowl, add the sugar and let the mixture stand thirty-six hours, stirring often. Then pour in the liquor and let the whole mixture stand twenty-four hours. Ice and serve in the usual way.

Navy Punch

One quart Jamaica rum
One quart American champagne
Juice of eight lemons
Rinds of four lemons
One pound and a half sugar
One quart tea (hot) made from eight teaspoonfuls of tea

After a hand-to-mouth encounter with this punch it will at once be well to order a pair of sea legs. It is made as follows:
Take one quart Jamaica rum, one-quart American champagne, the juice of eight lemons, the rinds of four lemons, and one and one-half pounds sugar, one-quart hot tea.

Upon the lemon rinds and sugar pour the tea and allow the mixture to stand half an hour, stirring often. Then add the lemon juice and rum. Place in the punch bowl and when iced and ready to serve, add the champagne.

All of these recipes are alcoholic and probably wouldn’t be the same if it was removed.

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