Christmas PUNCH!

"A merrier Christmas, Bob, my good fellow, than I have given you, for many a year! I'll raise your salary, and endeavour to assist your struggling family, and we will discuss your affairs this very afternoon, over a Christmas bowl of smoking bishop, Bob!" (A Christmas Carol).

Punch originated in India. It means 'five' in Hindi and equates to the five mixes for a traditional punch recipe; alcohol (or non-alcoholic juice), sugar, lemon, water and tea or spices. It has been a popular drink associated with Christmas since the 1600s. Dickens' A Christmas Carol makes reference to a 'smoking bishop' (above) which was a type of Punch mostly consisting of oranges and wine.

George Robert's 1869 book Cups and Customs recounts a recipe for Punch by a Mr.Billy Dawson. It is emphasised at the beginning of the recipe:

'let your utensils be clean, and your ingredients of first-rate quality'

Some of the utensils that you would need can be found in the Museum of Kitchenalia to make this recipe, including:

Glass juicer, 1888.

© Museum of Kitchenalia

Tinware 'Gill' Measure

© Museum of Kitchenalia

Victorian cut glass bowl.© Museum of Kitchenalia

19c Sugar Nippers.© Museum of Kitchenalia

'Sugar, twelve tolerable lumps; hot

water, one pint; lemons, two, the juice and peel; old

Jamaica rum, two gills ; brandy, one gill ; porter or

stout, half a gill ; arrack, a slight dash. I allow myself five minutes to make a bowl on the foregoing proportions,carefully stirring the mixture as I furnish the ingredients until it actually foams ; and then. Kangaroos ! how beautiful it is !!'

Kangaroos indeed! A fine Punch for anybody's Christmas table.