Friends, Romans -- Have Some Punch

 

 

It’s not Roman and it’s not punch. Yet, for more than half a century, the fruit ice called
“Roman punch” was wildly popular. I think it deserves a return engagement.

Descriptions and recipes for Roman punch are as numerous as the people who made it. Generally, though, it was a lemon or other fruit sorbet mixed with enough alcohol of various kinds and combinations to make it freeze slushy rather than solid. All sorts of liquors were used in making the punch. Rum was nearly ubiquitous, but everything from Chablis to Champagne made an appearance. Roman punch was served as a palate cleanser between courses at elaborate dinners.

In her 19th century etiquette book, Manners and Social Usage, Mary Elizabeth Wilson Sherwood ruled that Roman punch should always be eaten with a spoon. She called it the best “provocative of appetite” and said that coming after the heavy roasts, it “prepares the palate and stomach for the canvas-back ducks and other game. Then comes the salad and cheese, then the ices and sweets, and then cheese savourie or cheese fondu.”

I particularly like the crotchety description of Roman punch from All About Ices, Jellies and Creams written at the turn of the 20th century by two British confectioners, Henry G. Harris and S.P. Borella.  After reporting that “no two confectioners in Britain appear to agree entirely as to its composition,” they wrote:

The most impossible combinations are recommended – rum, brandy, green tea, black tea, cinnamon, nutmeg, pineapple, ginger – in addition to the three really necessary and
harmonious alcoholic items.

According to them, the three necessary and harmonious liquors were Champagne, kirsch, and maraschino.  

In The Complete Confectioner, Pastry-Cook and Baker, published in 1864, the prominent Philadelphia confectioner Eleanor Parkinson called for “a glass or two of each, of rum, brandy, champagne, and Maraschino.” She titled her recipe “Punch à la Romaine – Roman Punch Ice.”

Juliet Corson, in her 1886 book Miss Corson’s Practical American Cookery, distinguished between ordinary Roman punch and a “finer sort.” Ordinary was “a plain fruit-ice to which rum is added, a gill to a quart, and, in serving, a teaspoonful of rum is placed in each glass.” The finer version added meringue to the fruit ice and called for “one glass each of rum and brandy.” Fannie Farmer made her Roman punch with tea and rum.

These days, most of us aren’t having multi-course meals or multi-liquor palate cleansers, but a less elaborate version of Roman punch is a terrific summer dessert. Sarah Rorer’s recipe is so simple it works even if you’re just grilling burgers in the backyard. Feel free to sip or spoon it.

Roman Punch

Make one quart of lemon water ice. When ready to serve, fill it into small punch glasses, make a little well in the centre and fill the space with good Jamaica rum. – Ice Creams, Water Ices, Frozen Puddings Together With Refreshments For All Social Affairs, Sarah Tyson Rorer, 1913.