The Jerry Thomas Project

[MaxH]

Some general stuff --

1. Are you folks interested in "punches" in general, and the cluster of closely related British-derived quantity drink genres, like "cups" ? Is it a wider public interest now or just on eG? (I checked "punch" thread, and searched eG under that term, but am unenlightened.) Pls point me in the right direction because such pre-WW2 British sources as I have are bulging with original recipes and general principles. I've made a couple over the years, they're interesting drinks.

One of these drink genres, seemingly wildly popular around 1900 to judge from the number of references to it, has a particular ritual group of ingredients including not tea but a fresh herbal or vegetable component -- cucumber sometimes, but another herb was more traditional. (I haven't looked at this recently.)

2. Fermentation of fresh fruit was the standard commercial and household method in preparing fruit syrups for any use, described as essential because it extracted and intensified the flavors. (From general food formularies early 20th century, I could illustrate.)

3. FYI "do." for ditto was a less common than the double quotation mark " (still used) but IIRC was standard US commercial shorthand (in catalogs, bills of lading, etc.) until maybe 1900 -- that's a recollection from random older writings, I didn't investigate it explicitly.

Cheers -- M

[thirtyoneknots]

4. Mississippi Punch

...

1 wine-glass of brandy. (2 ounce - Louis Royer Force 53 - 53% ABV)

1/2 do. Jamaica rum. (1 ounce - Appleton Special - 40% ABV)

1/2 do. Bourbon whiskey. (1 ounce - Bulleit bourbon - 40% ABV)

1/2 do. water.

1 1/2 table-spoonful of powdered white sugar.

1/4 of a large lemon

Fill a tumbler with shaved ice.

The above must be well shaken, and to those who like their draughts "like linked sweetness long drawn out," let them use a glass tube or straw to sip the nectar through.  The top of this punch should be ornamented with small pieces of orange, and berries in season.

...

Fans of Crustas, Sidecars, aged rum Daiquiris and Whiskey Sours will love this drink, although I believe the addition of orgeat syrup would take this drink up a notch and make it truly sublime.

←

Is the Appleton Special really appropriate for recipes of this era? I've been give to understand that Jamaican rums of the prewar (WW2, that is) era were relatively dark and funky, as well as higher in proof. Lately for punch-type things I've had good results mixing Goslings Black Seal 151 and 80 proofs to make a 115 proof rum with a really quite apealing level of funk (the 151 is marvellous in that regard). There is, however, one clue to indicate that even this might not be quite right: When Trader Vic remarks that the J. Wray & Nephew 17 year Reserve is "surprisingly golden in color" -- not a character typically associated with pot-still funky rums of the Old School. Or is it? Pusser's is pretty funky and it's relatively light. So perhaps mixing Goslings 151 with Appleton V/X or Pussers would come closer? I should hasten to add that I'm no expert on rum, but the subject of punch rum is one I've been tinkering with lately and contemplating even more.

Either way this is a great drink, a masterful trick of mixology, and a great way to waste a lazy afternoon. And as for the orgeat, I'm sure Trader Vic would agree

[slkinsey]

WRT the Mississippi Punch, here's a tidbit from Dave Wondrich posted on another thread:

On Sep 18 2007, 11:57 AM, Splificator said:

. . .  here's a recipe for Mississippi Punch (predating Jerry Thomas's by a couple of years) that calls for Batavia arrack; it's damned tasty, IMHO.

Shake well with plenty of cracked ice:
2 oz cognac (VSOP or better)
1 oz dark Jamaican-style rum (I like Coruba in this)
1/2 oz Batavia arrack (the van Oosten works wonderfully well)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 oz rich simple syrup
Pour unstrained into tall glass, garnish with half-wheel of orange and a few raspberries or whatever else is in season. Approach with straw and have at it.

[thirtyoneknots]

Yeah the Arrack version has been on my to-try list since reading about it in Imbibe!, but I'm nothing if not a procrastinator.

I think it's interesting that Thomas subs Bourbon for Arrack, since the flavors (as we understand them) are not compatible the way, say, Arrack and Jamaica Rum might be. I know the version with Arrack is going to be good, but the imagination to sub Bourbon and make something so marvellous is remarkable indeed.

[evo-lution]

Is the Appleton Special really appropriate for recipes of this era?

I was under the impression that pre-war Jamaican rum was shipped to London for aging. As the climate was colder, I assume the rums may not have been as dark as other rums aged for the same length of time in warmer climates.

With that in mind, I would say the Appleton Special is okay to use in the Mississippi Punch. As the recipe categorically states Jamaica rum, I wanted to use a relatively generic Jamaican rum which has everything we expect from that style of rum.

As much as I wish to make drinks close to they were made back then (which would be near impossible), I wish to also recreate them as we would/could make them now at the same time. Basically, I'm trying to hit a happy medium, however I'm willing to try the same recipe with various ingredients to see the different results. In this case, various Jamaican rums.

Either way this is a great drink, a masterful trick of mixology, and a great way to waste a lazy afternoon. And as for the orgeat, I'm sure Trader Vic would agree 

Anyways, slightly on/off subject and just for the hell of it...

Evo-lved Mississippi Punch 

2 ounces Hennessy Fine De Cognac - 40%ABV

1 ounce Buffalo Trace bourbon - 45%ABV

1/2 ounce Goslings Black Seal - 40%ABV

1/2 ounce Bacardi 151 - 75.5%ABV

1 ounce water

1 ounce Fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla sugar syrup

1/2 ounce Homemade roasted almond orgeat

Method: Squeeze lemon into glass, add water, sugar and stir until dissolved. Add brandy, rum, whiskey and orgeat, fill with cubed ice and shake hard for 10 seconds. Fine strain to serve.

Glass: Frozen coupette

Garnish: Homemade rum-med cherry

Ice: N/A

Notes: As before, taking into account the amount of liquor, it's a wonderfully balanced drink.  Predominant notes of orange and vanilla on the nose.  Upon tasting, subtle caramel and demarara sweetness at the start is followed by hints of fresh lemon and orange and dried fruit, chocolate, and nutbread in the middle.  As before, a finish reminiscent of chilli-chocolate.  I really like this drink...

Just for sh*ts and giggles, I thought I'd play around with your suggestions and take it into the modern day whilst also adding the orgeat syrup I thought may enhance it. I also tried it straight up to see how different it is without the continued dilution of cracked ice.

This drink was deeper, fuller and richer, but still had amazing subtlety. As I thought, it was very tiki-like. Superb drink, although I think it may benefit from being served over ice.

Edited March 4, 2009 by evo-lution (log)

[slkinsey]

With that in mind for the Mississippi Punch, I would say the Appleton Special is okay to use.  As the recipe states Jamaica rum, I wanted to use a relatively generic Jamaican rum which has everything we expect from that style of rum.

I've always been given to understand that most modern day "Jamaica rum" isn't particularly in the historical Jamaica style, which was quite a bit funkier. I think Dave Wondrich, Ed Hamilton and others who know far more about rum than I, all suggest that Coruba, Inner Circle and even Myers are closer to the mark.

Most "Jamaica rum" today (which now refers to a place of origin rather than a national style at this point), and this would include the Appleton rums, seem to be on the modern "cognac style" model.

Edited March 4, 2009 by slkinsey (log)

[evo-lution]

I've always been given to understand that most modern day "Jamaica rum" isn't particularly in the historical Jamaica style, which was quite a bit funkier.  I think Dave Wondrich, Ed Hamilton and others who know far more about rum than I, all suggest that Coruba, Inner Circle and even Myers are closer to the mark.

As said in my previous post, I'm happy to try out various ingredients in the name of research, however the style of Appleton Special is probably closer to the Jamaican rum that most would use nowadays for this recipe I presume, hence my use of Jamaican Appleton Special.

As also said, it would be near impossible to recreate the drink as it was as the rum of that time isn't the same as is around now, so I have to reach some sort of middle-ground. Happy medium and all that.

For me though, as long as I follow what the recipe stipulates, I'm staying true to the book/Jerry Thomas. In this case, Jamaican rum, not rum from anywhere else.

Most "Jamaica rum" today (which now refers to a place of origin rather than a national style at this point), and this would include the Appleton rums, seem to be on the modern "cognac style" model.

I'd still say modern Jamaica rum has its own style though...

Edited March 4, 2009 by evo-lution (log)

[slkinsey]

Well, as a practical matter, it certainly depends on what you can get your hands on.

[Splificator]

I think it's interesting that Thomas subs Bourbon for Arrack, since the flavors (as we understand them) are not compatible the way, say, Arrack and Jamaica Rum might be. I know the version with Arrack is going to be good, but the imagination to sub Bourbon and make something so marvellous is remarkable indeed.

Just a thought, but it might be that Major Unett, who printed the arrack version, substituted that spirit for the American whiskey that he knew his readers (in Britain) wouldn't be able to get. (America exported a good deal of whiskey to Britain, but it was all to rectifiers, who redistilled it into gin.) If so, this says a good deal about the nature of American whiskey at the time.

[evo-lution]

New drinks to be added in the morning now that I've found some time away from Boker's...

3. Brandy Punch, 5. Hot Brandy and Rum Punch, 11. Gin Punch, 12. Champagne Punch, 14. Claret Punch, 15. Sauterne Punch, 18. Pine-Apple Punch, 20. Curaçao Punch, 21. Roman Punch and 22. Milk Punch

You can find them on my blog http://thejerrythomasproject.blogspot.com/ however I will be discussing the drinks on here as well.

Cheers!