New Year’s Libations from Old Marin
by Jocelyn Moss
The New Year is almost here. What better way to celebrate than with a cup of cheer. The Anne T. Kent California Room has a wide collection of historic cook books, many of which include interesting libations from various periods of history.
We hope you enjoy the following recipes!
In celebration of the bicentennial of the Mission San Raphael Archangel, may we suggest a recipe for a fortified dessert wine, Angelica, which was popular in the Mission era.
To make California’s famous Angelica, use only the clear liquid pressed from the Mission grape. Allow it to ferment in an open-top barrel for ten days. Siphon off the settled liquid into a kettle to cook.
Boil the clear wine and add to every gallon one pound of sugar and one quart of grape alcohol. Allow to stand sealed in a well-charred barrel for six months before bottling.
(From Early California Hospitality by Ana Begue)
If you’d like to try a turn-of-the-20th century punch, may we suggest Mary F. Foster’s recipe for Boiled Claret Punch.
Boiled Claret Punch
1 qt. Claret 1/3 lb. cut sugar
4 tablespoons of rum 1 lemon
2 oranges 1 glass of water
Rub 7 lumps of sugar on the oranges to get the orange taste. Put all sugar and a glass of water in a pan and cook till melted. Add juice of lemon. Then add claret, let come to a good boil, skim off scum, strain; add rum and bottle.
(From San Rafael Cook Book , 1906)
If you are hosting a large gathering you may want to try an elaborate recipe for Champagne Punch from Marin conservationist and community leader Caroline Livermore which she contributed to the 1940 Grape Festival Cook Book.
Champagne Punch
2 lbs of powdered sugar ½ pt. Maraschino
3 quarts of champagne ½ pt. Chartreuse
1/2 quart of Apollinaris water 1 quart strong black tea
1 quart of whiskey Juice of 12 oranges
½ pt imported brandy Juice of 6 lemons
½ pt. rum 1 pint of hot water to dissolve sugar
½ pint Benedictine 2 lbs. of ice
This punch serves 50
Wishing you a very Happy New Year!
Originally published at https://annetkent.kontribune.com.
