Making Dickens’s Favorite Christmas Punch and Mark Twain's Favorite Cocktail

I recently taught a class on Christmas literature based on the lives of Jane Austen, Washington Irving, Clement C. Moore, Charles Dickens, and Mark Twain. Twain is most often a surprise, since publicly he called it the "Christmas Suicide" season. However, devoted to his wife and three daughters, he was a sucker for the holiday (like Dickens, he did not suffer many happy ones in his life time as a child), spoiling his girls, quietly offering charity to the poor in the season, and entertaining in the most outlandish ways. All of these writers had a distinct take on the holidays, and their holidays either shaped them, or they shaped the holidays.  

 

In my book, INVENTING SCROOGE, I explain the history of Dickens' favorite punch. This is NOT Smoking Bishop (which Dickens was also fond of). This is his very potent Lemon and Rum and Brandy punch. This is a more refreshing take on the classic Fish House punch, a punch very popular in Revolutionary America and Georgian times. It can be drank either hot or cold. Warm to hot, and it very much tastes like a Hot Toddy. On ice, it much more resembles a Planter's Punch. I prefer to serve it chilled with a fruit infused ice ring floating in the punch bowl which make it more attractive and keeps it cool. Don;t worry about watering it down, it's a pretty powerful concoction!

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MARK TWIN'S FAVORITE COCKTAIL

This is a Scotch whiskey based cocktail. The history is that he fell in love with it after first tasting it in London, and later modified the drink to his own likes. I recommend blended Scotch whiskey myself here. Smoky or not, is your decision. I chose mine not, since smoky whiskey was not generally available in the US in large quantities in Victorian times. You can make this as a drink, or you can scale it up for a very powerful punch. 

2 oz Scotch whiskey 

1-3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (or more....to taste)

 1 oz simple syrup 

2 dashes of Angostura bitters. 

Place all ingredients into a shaker with ice.

Shake strongly.

Strain into a chilled rocks glass with ice.