There are a variety of drinks appropriate for a Rendezvous or Living History Event. Many of the beverages we enjoy today were also popular in America in the 18th and 19th centuries. Among the popular beverages during the Eighteenth century were: Ale, Brandy, Chocolate, Cider, Claret, Coffee, Eggnog, Flip, Grog, Milk, Milk Punch, Port, Punch, Rum, Small Beer, Spruce Beer, Syllabub, Tea, and Wine.
For your convenience the Rendezvous Drinks will be divided into two categories; Regular, and Tavern. As might be expected the Tavern Drinks are alcoholic beverages, and are intended for use only by Rendezvousers of legal drinking age, and only AFTER the shooting is done for the day!
By far the most popular drink in the colonies, until beer replaced it in the 19th century. Cider is the juice that is pressed out of a fruit, most often apples. Cider made from crab apples and pears was also popular. Fermented cider was called hard cider.
Coffee was normally purchased as unroasted green beans that had to be roasted before they were boiled to make coffee. Coffee houses were popular in London as early as the mid-17th century. Coffee replaced tea as the popular colonial drink during the American Revolution. Coffee from the West Indian colonies of France and Spain dominated the coffee trade from 1690-1830. By 1830, coffee began to be produced in Java.
Many Indian tribes used corn for coffee. Take whole ears of shucked corn. Dry them real good and roast them on hot coals. Then pound the kernels, and boil them. Maple sugar was used to sweeten this strong drink.
Nonalcoholic beverage flavored with fermented ginger. Ginger Ale was common during the 18th century. Ginger Beer was made in England at the beginning of the 19th century, and later in the century it was brought to America, and substituted for real beer.
Chocolate and cola were among the foods the Indians introduced to the Europeans. Shortly after the introduction of chocolate in Europe, cola and vanilla were highly valued trade items. The Ivory Coast began growing cola by 1660 to trade to Europe. The colonists in North America were as found of chocolate as their European cousins.
1 cup water
1/4 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate
2 Tbsp. sugar
Bring the water to a boil and shave the chocolate into the water. As the chocolate melts, add the sugar and continue to boil for a short time (3 or 4 minutes). Keep an eye on the pot, because the chocolate is inclined to boil over. If you wish you can add about 1/2 cup milk and boil it with the chocolate. Also, grating nutmeg on top of the chocolate can improve the flavor.
1 gallon cider
2 cups brown sugar
6 sticks of cinnamon
2 tsp. whole cloves
2 tsp. salt
Dissolve the brown sugar into the cider. Bring to a boil. Add cinnamon, cloves, and salt, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Strain to remove cloves, or the cloves can be put into a cheesecloth or tea strainer. Serve hot.
Switchel is said to be most refreshing especially on hot days. Mix one quart of water, one Tbsp. ginger, three Tbsp. molasses, and 1/2 pint of apple cider vinegar.
Tea was a popular drink of
the 17th and 18th century in both Europe and the Colonies. Its
popularity dropped in the Colonies in the 1770's as a political
statement against England, and it never regained its popularity
in the United States . The common types of tea in the 18th and
early 19th centuries were; Bohea Tea, Gunpowder Tea, Hyson, Green
Tea, Hyson Skin, Imperial, Pouchong, Oolong, Souchong, and Young
Hyson.
Apple jack is made by taking
hard cider and putting it outside when the temperature is below
freezing, or by placing in your freezer. When the cider begins to
freeze pour the unfrozen 1iquid into a container. The unfrozen
liquid is apple jack. Apple jack is a delicious drink, but a word
of caution is in order. You might not taste the alcohol in apple
jack, but the beverage is very potent. When frozen, water is
removed leaving a beverage with a much higher octane rating than
the 10-12 % of hard cider
If you don’t have any hard cider handy, I made a tasty
version using a fifth of Apple Schnapps mixed with a fifth of
apple cider. I put the mixture into two quart jars, and put them
in the freezer. It took about eight hours for the liquid to begin
to freeze.
A drink made from beer,
sugar, molasses, dried pumpkin, and rum, heated with a hot iron.
Put a spoonful of brown sugar into about five or six gills (20-24
ounces) of malt beer, which is then warmed by putting a hot iron
into it (the name comes from nickname of a fireplace poker,
"iron flip dog"). Add a half pint of rum or brandy and
stir well. Grate a little nutmeg on top. Serves four.
Some recipes also called for dried pumpkin, and Flip with a
beaten egg added to it was called `Yard of Flannel`.
Hot water and rum, Grog was initially served to Royal Navy to help prevent scurvy. Eventually the U.S. Navy included grog as sailor's rations.
Mix a teaspoonful of molasses and some lemon juice in a mug. Add a gill (1/2 cup) of rum, and fill the mug with strong hot tea. Grate a little nutmeg on top.
1/2 gallon cider
l/2 cup maple syrup
1/8 lb. butter
1/2 quart dark rum
Mix cider and syrup. Bring to a boil. Add butter and remove from the fire. Add rum and serve. Don't allow to reboil. This recipe makes about 12 six-ounce servings.
There are several variations of this beverage making the rounds at Rendezvous. After much experimentation, we at Morgan County have come up with this formula. In a pitcher, or coffee pot, put in a can of frozen lemonade. Fill the can with rum and add to the pitcher. Then add 3 cans full of water and stir well. The formula also works well with Orange Juice and Pineapple Juice. Grapefruit Juice has been tried with the formula, but that is an acquired taste.
2 quarts of brandy
juice of 5 lemons
peels of 2 lemons
1/2 whole nutmeg
3 pints white wine
1-1/2 lb. sugar
Place brandy, lemon juice, peels, and nutmeg into a large bottle. Let stand for 3 days. Add wine and sugar. Mix well and strain twice, then rebottle. Definately an officer's drink, the ingredients are too costly for the enlisted man.
Eggnog with wine added, popular in Colonial America and before.
1 pint cream
1 cup dry white wine or sack
1 lemon
3 egg whites
sugar
nutmeg
Combine cream, wine and egg
whites. Add sugar to taste, about 1 Tbsp. Grate in nutmeg and the
skin of the lemon (grated). Using a whisk, whip the ingredients
until they froth. Skim and discard froth. Pour into glasses to
serve.
Common folk, not having the means to buy lemons and wine, would
use cider and milk, adding cream over the top of his syllabub.
Among the popular wines in Early America were; Claret, Madeira, Malaga, Medoc Claret, Port, Sicily, often known as Marsala (cream sherry), Sherry or Sack, Teneriffe, and White Muscatel.
Flip with a beaten egg added. (see, Flip)
[Home]
[Schedule] [Map] [Area Clubs] [Club Info] [Cookbook]
[Links] [Photos] [Rendezvous
News & Info] [Safety &
Shooting Tips]
We would be happy to hear
from you. Please contact us with any questions or comments at:
MorganCo.LR@insightbb.com
Updated July 6, 2007.