Besides the (very obvious) holiday season, why else would this time of the year be especially important to Boston? Perhaps because this upcoming Monday, December 16 marks the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. Oh yeah – that happened.
And to celebrate, the Boston restaurant L’Espalier will be offering up a very special punch to commemorate the fast-approaching anniversary. And let’s face it – after a long week of work, holiday shopping and Christmas parties, you deserve some spirits that will truly lift your spirits. So whether you’re looking to head out or shake it up right at home, here’s the drink you should be imbibing on in Boston right now.
Buy It
Celebrate the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party at L’Espalier with a glass of their Fish House Punch. The drink is described as a “colonial favorite,” created in 1732 at the gentleman’s club The Schuylkill Fishing Company, in Philadelphia. Apparently even George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were said to have enjoyed the Fish House Punch – who knew? The delicious drink is a concoction made with tea (of course), cognac, rum and plenty of peach brandy.
But if you’re looking for a night in, you can…
Make It
Impress your friends with this colonial cocktail recipe for Fish House Punch. The recipe below was actually adapted from research by David Wondrich for Esquire Magazine. Take your best shot at these directions and let us know how it turned out.
Fire House Punch
Ingredients
1.5 cups superfine sugar
2 quarts water
1 quart lemon juice
2 quarts dark rum
1 quart cognac
4 ounces peach brandy
3 tablespoons full-bodied Chinese black tea leaves
Directions
Bring 1 quart of water to a boil and steep tea leaves for 5 minutes. Strain and discard leaves. Set tea aside to cool. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in two cups of the water, and then incorporate the lemon juice. Add the spirits and the remaining water and tea to taste. Place a block of ice into your bowl and let stand in a cool place for the flavors to develop for an hour or so before serving.
