Norfolk Punch

A historical recipe from The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary, by Eaton, Mary, active 1823-1849 (1822).

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A historical recipe

The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery, in all Its Various Branches, Adapted to the Use of Private Families, by Eaton, Mary, active 1823-1849 (1822). Project Gutenberg eBook #29084.

From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards. Its words name: preserving or pickling. Check current food-safety guidance before following this.

Preserving. Old preserving methods may not make food safe to keep. Use current tested guidance.

Ingredients 4 ingredients

twenty quarts of French brandy
fifteen pounds of double-refined sugar
two quarts of new milk
three quarts of brandy

Cook safely

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Method

To make a relishing liquor that will keep many years, and improve by age, put the peels of thirty lemons and thirty oranges into twenty quarts of French brandy.
The fruit must be pared so thin and carefully, that not the least of the white is left.
Let it infuse twelve hours.
Prepare thirty quarts of cold water that has been boiled, put to it fifteen pounds of double-refined sugar, and when well incorporated, pour it upon the brandy and peels, adding the juice of the oranges and of twenty-four lemons.
Mix them well, strain the liquor through a fine hair sieve, into a very clean cask, that has held spirits, and add two quarts of new milk.
Stir the liquor, then bung it down close, and let it stand six weeks in a warm cellar.
Bottle off the liquor, but take care that the bottles be perfectly clean and dry, the corks of the best quality, and well put in.
Of course a smaller quantity of this punch may be made, by observing only the above proportions.--Another way.
Pare six lemons and three Seville oranges very thin, squeeze the juice into a large teapot, put to it three quarts of brandy, one of white wine, one of milk, and a pound and a quarter of lump sugar.
Let it be well mixed, and then covered for twenty-four hours.
Strain it through a jelly bag till quite clear, and then bottle it off.

Plating

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Cookware for this recipe

Saucepan
Chef's knife
Wooden spoon
Sieve