Snap-dragon
Also known as flap-dragon, this Elizabethan game involves trying to pick dried fruit and nuts out of a bowl of flaming brandy. Yes, it’s dangerous and, yes, it was played by children (as well as adults) from the sixteenth century through the Victorian period. It’s closely associated with the Christmas season and, in the United States, it also became a common amusement on All Hallows’ Eve.
INGREDIENTS
Good-quality brandy*, 90- to 100-proof
Dried fruit, such as cherries, raisins, golden raisins, etc.
Nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts
*Cognac or brandy de Jerez
Warning: this game is dangerous. Play at your own risk! I wouldn’t let kids play this game! Also, don’t put anything flammable around the bowl. You have been warned.
In an improvised bain-marie filled with hot water, place a glass or metal container with the brandy in it. (You want the spirit to warm so that it’s more likely to set alight!) Once warmed, pour most of the brandy into a bowl with some dried fruit and nuts in it. Take a punch ladle or similar and pour a little warmed brandy in; carefully set that alight and pour the fiery spirit into the snap-dragon bowl.