& babbling

A drink that’ll make you feel like you’re in the Regency era.

Empire waistlines, bonnets, and the importance of being an accomplished woman. In the last few years the Regency era has taken center stage in pop culture with the popularization of Jane Austen’s works and the many historical romances inspired by her works. From the ball room dances to the scenic countrysides, the vignettes of Regency life has captured the public’s admiration and has many a romance reader, yearning to join in on the fun.

While there are certainly a handful of groups that host such affairs, it can be quite difficult to attend one such event. Nonetheless, there are ways to bring the Regency spirit to your own home or private shindig. Dresses are easy, put on a quartet for music, but having period accurate food adds insight to the era.

Teas were of course popular. And so was wine. But those in the know, know that at the top among the drinks of the era was called The Regent’s Punch, or George the Fourth’s Punch. According to a source, this drink was a particular favorite of the prince regent himself, hence the name.

Below is a snippet of the recipe from a cookbook published at the time. And below that is a modified recipe with my own modifications.

The recipe below is a modified recipe from Modern Cookery for Private Families, by Eliza Acton (1849). The original had four types of alcohol: best Jamaican rum, Arrack, French brandy, and lots of Champagne. When I first saw this, I thought, if they were serving this during the balls I’m not surprised that such events were a minefield of social graces and propriety. A few cups in and any person attending will certainly let down their inhibitions for a dance or two with a dubious suitor, or so the books have suggested. Lightweights beware! And maybe stick to the lemonade.

The recipe uses a strong green tea. This isn’t to be mistaken for something like an English breakfast or an Earl Gray, both are considered black teas due to the oxidization process that the tea undergoes. Green teas on the other hand, are either quickly heated or dried after picking to prevent oxidization. In this recipe, go with gunpowder tea, it was popular at the time and is also a strong green tea.

The recipe also mentions the use of China orange. At first, I thought it meant a Mandarin orange but upon some research, it just meant a sweet orange. This is to balance out the tartness from the lemon and the bitterness from the Seville orange.

There are 2 recipes below. The first is the original and the second one has been modified so that it’s sweeter and contain much less alcohol.

Original Recipe

• Rinds and juice of 2 sweet oranges, 2 lemons, and 1 Seville orange
• Simple Syrup 1/2 pint
• Strong green tea, sweetened, 1 pint
• Best old Jamaica rum, Arrack, French brandy, Pineapple syrup – 1 glass full of each
• Champagne, 2 bottles
• Ice to chill

Pare as thin as possible the rinds of the citrus and infuse them in the thin cold syrup (simple syrup). Add them to the juice of the fruits.

Make the green tea and add it to the fruit and syrup. Add the rum, brandy, arrack, the pineapple syrup, and champagne.

Pass this through a fine sieve until it’s perfectly clear, and then bottle and chill.

A Sweeter, Less Alcoholic Version

• Rinds and juice of 2 sweet oranges, 2 lemons, and 1 Seville orange
• Simple Syrup 1 cup
• Strong green tea, sweetened, 2 cups
• Rum extract, ¼ cup
• Apple juice, ¼ cup
• Pineapple syrup, ¼ cup
• White grape juice, 2 bottles
• Ice to chill
• Club soda for bubbles

Make similar to the original recipe.