1919 Home made beverages

Chapter XXI. PUNCHES

Punch PUNCH is a beverage made of various spirituous liquors or wine, hot water, the acid juice of fruits, and sugar. It is considered to be very intoxicating, but this is probably because the spirit, being partly sheathed by the mucilagi- nous juice and the sugar, its strength does not appear to the taste so great as it really is. Punch, which was almost universally drunk among the middle classes about 50 or 60 years ago, has almost disappeared from our domestic tables, being superseded by wine. There are many dif- ferent varieties of punch. It is sometimes kept cold in bottles, and makes a most agreeable summer drink. 1. — Lemons, juice of 3 or 4; lemons, yellow peel of 1 or 2; lump sugar, % lb.; boiling water, Z]/% pt.; infuse J^ hour, strain, add porter, J£ pt.; rum and brandy, of each, % to 1 pt. (or either, alone, lj^ to 2 pt.); and add more Varm water and sugar, if desired weaker or sweeter. 2. — Water, 3 pt.; sugar, 1J£ lb.; raspberry juice, 1 pt.; lemons, juice of 2; 1 orange; mace, 1 blade; cinnamon, 1 small stick; cloves, 8; claret, 1 pt.; brandy, 1 pt.; French cherries, 3 oz. Put the cherries to soak in a little of the brandy, and afterward cut them in quarters. Crush the spices, and add them and the grated rind of 1 lemon, and 1 orange to the sugar and water; boil up once and set aside to cool. Strain the syrup and add the lemon, orange and raspberry juices, then freeze. When partly frozen add the claret and brandy; freeze a few 213