by amanda
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2
cups lemonade
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Juice of 2 oranges
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8
ounces Champagne
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8
ounces rum
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2
large egg whites
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A few drops lemon juice
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3
cups confectioners' sugar
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Stir together the lemonade, orange juice, Champagne, and rum in a punch bowl. Chill.
Ask the hotline about this step!When ready to serve, make the meringue: whip the egg whites and lemon juice in a medium bowl until they hold soft peaks, then gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Pile into a serving bowl.
Ask the hotline about this step!Fill punch cups with ice, ladle over the punch, and top each with a dollop of meringue. Serve with cocktail stirrers.
Ask the hotline about this step!Isn't it funny how food is just like fashion - in one year and passé the next. Since I'm a lightweight, I'd skimp on the rum ... but the flavor combination sounds heavenly. Such a nice change of pace from the usual goodies.
We made this cocktail at our monthly baking/brunch this morning - it was a little too overwhelmingly boozy, even with a meal, and the meringue, while tasty, didn't win me over. I wish we'd seen Amanda's note about making meringue with regular (vs. confectioners') sugar, as I believe my friend used the full ration of regular sugar, resulting in slightly grainy meringue. Oh well, a nice change of pace from the usual mimosas, though I don't think we'll be making it again.
I have made this twice now, and both were excellent. the bartender was confused the first time and added Regatta Ginger Beer instead of Champagne, but it tasted fine, albeit with less alcohol. The second time was just wonderful. Next time, I will try Wondrich's harder recipe that calls for it to be made in an ice cream maker and served as slush.
Love this drink. Thanks for the background information. Years ago I dated a Rutherford, who was actually named for and related to Rutherford B. Hayes. It is so good we are not living with temperance. Perhaps this drink will enjoy a robust revival.
Henry Voigt's last two posted menus, one for a German New Year's Eve party in NYC in 1887 and one for the St. Nicolas Hotel Christmas Dinner in NYC in 1881, both have Roman Punch served as a refreshment after the roast. The menus are on his blog, which can be found with Google by searching for "The American Menu."
Just made this with limeade instead of lemonade (shopping mishap), and I'm happy to report it was really great! Also I made the meringue with regular sugar (1 egg white to 3/4 cup granulated sugar).
The punch bowl we served our punch from was also used by my great grandmother to carry my grandfather out of their home in San Francisco during the 1906 earthquake!
Daphne, you have to tell folks about your trip to the liquor store!
Went to Jackson's Liquors in Lafayette, CA and Don Beatty was a wealth of knowledge. We picked a 12 year old demerara rum called El Dorado. And to float the punch, a black strap rum called Cruzan from St. Croix since 1760. For the champagne we chose the first champagne to hit San Francisco Bay, literally! It was hidden in the bowels of the Niantic, a whaling vessel carrying gold seekers from Panama in the mid 19th Century. The champagne was discovered 20 years later, after the Niantic had been pulled ashore, subsequently abandoned and converted to a hotel. For the lemonade, we adapted Scott Peacock/ Edna Lewis' version from Southern Cooking; Meyer lemons, less sugar:)
I would love to see a photo of this bowl. And I take it your grandfather was an infant at the time?
johnaka, Our punch bowl is lovely, cut crystal and quite large. When I carried it to the table full of punch from my fridge ( in November) it was heavy, and I wondered then how my great grandmother could have carried her infant son out of the house in it. She was a very small framed woman too, but I guess adrenaline comes in handy in a situation like that.
P. S. sorry I can't fit a photo in for you here...
We had this at a party over the weekend. Amazing! So delicious. And how interesting that it first appeared in the Times in 1879. ;o)
I love my NY Times Cookbook its like sleeping with your Bible, because there is always a passage like this one to lament over and use for worship. Thanks!