Fish House Punch

Lately I haven't been featuring cocktail recipes in favor of other Friday night treats, but after this week, I think a drink is in order! I chose this Fish House Punch in honor of our dear friend A.J. who is visiting San Francisco this week; our favorite thing to do was pick out horrifying cocktail recipes for each other and have John whip them up, but we passed on this punch because it sounded too delicious!



Fish House Punch

Dissolve 1 pound of loaf sugar with just enough water for the purpose, add 1 quart lemon juice, and let these steep together for about 1 hour.

In a separate container, preferably a large jug, blend 2 quarts Jamaica rum, 1 quart cognac, and 4 ounces peach brandy, diluted with about 1 1/2 quarts water. Cover the jug tightly to prevent evaporation and let the liquors steep.

Merge these two mixtures in a punch bowl containing a large block of ice. With an occasional gentle stir, let them brew for 2 hours. Taste for strength; if insufficiently diluted, add water. On a warm day, the melting ice will need little assistance if any. In wintry weather, it might need a quart.


Notes: As a concession to present-day palates, the traditional pound of loaf sugar may be, and I understand generally is, reduced to 3/4 pound.

The peach brandy called for in this recipe was likely significantly drier 300 years ago, when the recipe was first developed. Try a peach eaux-de-vie to make your punch as similar as possible to the original. Cheers!


Recipe via Gourmet, photo by Romulo Yanes.