MxMo: Vintage Cocktails #11: Fish House Punch

Try as I might, I have never been prepared for a mixology monday.  I always know about it for weeks  and then forget, clamoring at the last minute to put something up.  This month is similar in that I am  sitting here, at 9pm mixing up my beverage.  However, I have known for a while what I wanted to put  up.  This month’s MxMo is hosted by Mike at Hobson’s Choice, and his theme is Punch.  As  I am  working through Vintage Spirits, I noticed that there were several punches listed, and since I am making each and every drink in the book, I thought it was only fitting that this entry combine the two.  First off, lets look at what punch is.

Punch is a loanword from Hindi panch and the drink was made from five different ingredients: spirit, sugar, lemon, water, and tea or spices.  Sounds very similar to the definition of a cocktail.  The drink was brought back from India to England by the sailors and employees of the British East India Company in the early seventeenth century, and from there it was introduced into other European countries.  The term punch was first recorded in British documents dating back to 1632. At that time, most punches were of the Wassail type, or with a wine or brandy base, but by around 1655, when Jamaica came out with rum, the ‘modern’ punch was born and by 1671, there were references to punch houses.

Perhaps one of the most famous punches, supposedly partaken by many of the founding fathers of our nation, was created at the Schuylkill Fishing Company also known as the “Fish House”.  Out of that famed gentlemen’s club comes the Fish House Punch.  The Fish House Punch recipe has had many variations over the years, but I will go with the one listed in Vintage Spirits.  A similar recipe can be found in Jerry Thomas’s Bon Vivant’s Companion.

Fish House Punch
2 Quarts Jamaican Rum (Appleton 12yr)
1 Quart Brandy (Hennessy VS)
1/2 Pint Peach Brandy
1/2 Pint Maraschino Liqueur
1 Quart Green Tea
1 Pint Lemon Juice
1 Lb Powdered Sugar
1 Bottle Champagne
Serve over ice.

Maybe not obvious, but I did not mix the large recipe up for this post, but instead mixed up a batch for about 5 drinks.
The punch is very forward on the rum, but pairs excellently with the brandy. The fruit flavors linger in the background, with the maraschino adding the small amount of bitterness to keep the drink in balance. All in all, a great concoction which is historically accurate to the origins of punch, and which may see an appearance at my next party.

You can find the round up for this month’s MxMo here

MxMo: Tea

This month while I knew of the topic of mixology monday far in advance, I failed to allow the creativity to flow in the appropriate amount of time. Therefore, I shall be posting a little lame drink and following it up with some more original cocktails. The topic this month is Tea, chosen by the cocktail virgin.

First off, I would like to share the Irish Mist. This is an original creation and may be made two ways. We could go for the slightly alcoholic version, or the I am for sure a man but I also drink tea version. This drink is based on whiskey for the strong, and irish cream for the weak.

Irish Mist
2oz whiskey or irish cream
6oz Earl Grey Tea
1/2oz Vanilla Syrup

Steep your tea for a full 5 min. Add whiskey or irish cream to warmed mug, add Vanilla syrup, and fill with tea.
A favorite of mine, and I like both versions, although I favor the weaker one as I love the rich flavor and texture that the cream imparts.

Next up is the Earl Grey MarTEAni, created by Audrey Saunders of the Pegu Club in NYC. This drink is essentially a tea infused gin sour, but is an excellent example of tea in a cocktail, and also a drink that is balanced in such a way to taste all of the different “tastes” that should be in a good cocktail.

Earl Grey MarTEAni
1 1/2oz Earl Grey infused Gin
3/4oz lemon juice
1oz simple syrup
1 egg white

MxMo XLII: Dizzy Dairy

It’s time for another round of MxMo, and this month’s hosts are the peeps over at eGullet of whom Chris is the man with the topic: Dizzy Dairy. As he puts it:

Any drink using a dairy product is fair game: milk, cream, eggs, butter, cheese, yogurt, curds, you name it. Given the importance of dairy products in drinks dating back centuries, there are lots of opportunities for digging through vintage receipts for a taste of the past, and as always innovation is highly encouraged.
We hope that you’ll measure out your portions as best you’re able: better to indicate a tablespoon or ounce of egg white, for example, than to say “egg white.” In addition, be sure to share any tips and techniques that benefit your booze — “dry” shaking without ice for a good meringue, say, or stealing Society member Dale DeGroff’s whipped cream trick for Irish Coffee. Disasters as well as successes are heartily encouraged.

It rained today. I’m sure it is just the beginning of the dreary fall and winter that shall be mine, so I decided to recall the early days of spring one last time before bringing out the dark and heavy spirits in abundance.
This summer the Ramos Gin Fizz has been a favorite of mine, so I have decided to go on a variation of the gin fizz. As with the Ramos, this drink features both cream and egg. Since we all know how great all that fat in cream is for you, I thought I might as well whip something up that might burn a few of the calories that I would soon be consuming. So I present the Rubus Fizz.

The Rubus Fizz

2 oz Dry Fly Gin
.75 oz Lime Juice
1 oz Simple Syrup
8 Raspberries
8 Mint Leaves
1 oz Egg White
2 dashes Vanilla
2 oz Heavy Cream

Muddle Mint and Raspberries in mixing glass.
Add remaining ingredients and dry shake to emulsify.
Fill shaker with ice and shake for a minimum of 30 seconds.
Strain into wine glass or champagne flute and top with soda.
Garnish with mint or raspberries.

I chose to use the Dry Fly, as the elements of mint and vanilla in the gin really complement the drink. Depending on your raspberries and lime juice the simple syrup can be adjusted to balance the drink. I find that my raspberries can be quite tart, so I may add syrup or decrease the lime slightly.

MxMo XXXVII: First Time

It’s time for Mixology Monday again, something that I have not participated in for a couple of months.  I have been on a little uncreative spree, so I figured this could be a good way to get back into it.

The theme for this month is “First Time”, chosen by the ladies of LUPEC Boston.

What drink do you suggest for the delicate palate of the cocktail neophyte? Something boozy and balanced, sure – but one wrong suggestion could relegate the newbie to a beer-drinker’s life. To which go-to cocktails do you turn to when faced with the challenge?

To this all important question I have several answers.  First of all, although I am relatively new to the cocktail world, I prefer well made classics to the syrupy/sugary messes that are served at most bars, and as such consume most of my drinks at home because I don’t feel like paying $10 for a drink that tastes like soda water and 7up.

When mixing up a drink for a friend, I will inquire as to their tastes.  Are they a big beer drinker?  Do they prefer wine?  White or Red?  Are they feeling adventurous, or just looking for a little refreshment.

The most common drink I will make for a newbie will be a Collins.  Simple to make, can be adjusted for their tastes, and can be made with different spirits.  Essentially a Collins is a variation on a sour, and is made by adding soda water to the sour’s ingredients.  My personal favorite would be the standard Tom Collins.

Tom Collins
2oz gin
1oz lemon juice
3/4oz simple syrup

Shake up gin, juice, and syrup in a shaker with a lot o ice.
Strain into a collins glass filled with ice, and top with soda water.

This drink can also be made with other base spirits such as vodka, rum, or whiskey. For a slightly stronger drink I would serve up a fizz or sour, although I think that there are a lot of great drinks that be used to open someone up to the world of cocktails.

MxMo: Made From Scratch

Made from scratch. This is an excellent topic, as it gives me a nudge to stock up on homemade ingredients for the holiday season. Winter is fast approaching, and what better way to welcome the winter months than with some beverages made to ward off the cold, and improve the holiday spirit.

One of my favorite winter drinks is the Hot Buttered Rum. Warm, spicy, sweet, and full of rum, that’s how I like it. Now since this is a made from scratch event, better make sure that your drink is freshly made and full of all the right stuff.

Hot Buttered Rum
2oz dark or spiced rum (I like Sailor Jerry’s or Myers Dark)
4oz hot water, or hot cider
2 heaping barspoons compound butter
Nutmeg
Cinnamon Stick

Mix rum, butter, and half the water/cider in an irish coffee glass.
Mix well and fill with water/cider
Grate fresh nutmeg on top and garnish with a cinnamon stick if desired.

This drink will taste the best made with fresh apple cider, but if you don’t have a cider press in your basement, store bought will do.

Compound Butter
1lb butter
2tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp allspice
1 tsp ground cloves
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup french vanilla ice cream

Mix well and place in container in the freezer. Use as needed.