Pollard Ice Punch
A menu for Othello Pollard’s Boston restaurant from 1803 listed Solid Arguments (foods), Agitations (acidic things), Grievances (spicy things), Superfluities (sweets) and Punishments (alcohol). Under punishments one finds “ice-punch,” a version of the already very entrenched crowd-pleasing drink served on the new craze: ice. Below is our imagined vision of what may have been in that punch.
INGREDIENTS
5 oz. peach-infused brandy
5 oz. rye whiskey
6 oz. medium-dry Madeira
3 oz. lemon juice
3 oz. brown sugar syrup
6 oz. brewed black tea (cooled)
8 dashes spiced coffee Angostura bitters
Garnish: nutmeg
ABV LEVEL
Makes seven 4-ounce servings
Combine everything in a nonreactive quart-sized vessel. Allow to meld for four hours or overnight. To serve, measure 4 ounces per servings into punch glasses or small rocks glasses over ice. Grate fresh nutmeg on top.