Tea Punch, O. H. W. Hunter

According to Wikipedia, the word for punch comes from the sanskrit word for “five.” The drink was once made up of five components: water, citrus, alcohol, sugar, and “spice”. According to punch historian David Wondrich, the spice in question could be anything from “nutmeg or tea to ambergris.” (Hey that rhymes!)

The flavors of this traditional punch became a favorite of sailors and traders of the East India Company in the early 1600s. In 1655, the English captured Jamaica from the Spanish. Jamaican Rum became the next spoil of colonialism to make its way into punch.

Many recipes for colonial-style punch can be found in the books “Maryland’s Way,” “Eat, Drink & Be Merry in Maryland,” etc. I ultimately opted for a formula from Maude A Bomberger’s 1907 “Colonial Recipes, from Old Virginia and Maryland Manors.”

Bomberger got the recipe from Otho Holland Williams Hunter, the great-great nephew of Otho Holland Williams.

Williams had served in the Continental Army during the Revolution, in command of the 6th Maryland Regiment of the “Maryland Line” from which our state nickname derives. After the war, he lived in a large estate in Williamsport (“Williams’ Port”), Springfield Farm.

Springfield Farm, Maryland Historical Trust

The Springfield Farm property contained several outbuildings, including a spring house said to be built by Thomas Cresap, and a ‘still house’ where rye whiskey was aged. According to “Williamsport,” by Mary H. Rubin, that rye was a major source of income for the county.

Williams made efforts to convince his friend George Washington to locate the capital of our young nation in Williamsport, Maryland – and Washington strongly considered it. Washington was championing a canal to connect the Chesapeake Bay and Ohio Rivers, to better commence trade along the Potomac River through the mountains. It wasn’t until 1835 that the C & O Canal that Washington had envisioned made its way to Williamsport, and town became the second-largest town in Washington County.

Still House at Springfield Farm, Maryland Historical Trust

Otho Holland Williams died in 1794, leaving the Springfield Farm estate to his brother before it then passed on to Otho’s own son Edward Greene Williams around 1810. Edward was the party guy so I like to think this punch is associated with him. He was known for his lavish entertainment at Springfield Farm, and frequently hosted the well-to-do from Washington. Betsy Patterson Bonaparte is said to have made a visit. MAYBE SHE DRANK THIS PUNCH.

At any rate, the recipe came into the hands of Otho Holland Williams Hunter. For all we know, he got it from one of his coworkers at C & P Telephone. Maybe he got it from his wife, Bettie Barber Bruin Hunter, daughter of a banker who raised money to preserve the Washington Monument. No, not that one…. Not that one either. The Washington Monument of Boonesboro – the first *completed* Washington Monument.

Whatever its origin, this is a punch fit for the holidays. I wasn’t aware of the rye made at the still house until after I had already made the recipe and so I had used Irish Whiskey, which is commonly called for in tea punch recipes. I also cut the sugar in half because… yikes. Many recipes call for crushed ice but since this one specified an ice block I took the opportunity to make this molded ice block that came out looking like some kind of shrimp aspic. Fashionable Betsy Patterson Bonaparte would not be impressed.

Recipe:

3 Pints whiskey
1 Pint rum
1 teacup green tea
24 lemons
4 Lbs sugar
2 Quarts water
oranges, pineapples, maraschino cherries, Curaçao

Three pints of whisky, 1 pint of rum, 1 large tea cupful of green tea, 2 dozen lemons, 4 pounds sugar, 2 quarts of boiling water. Pour water on tea and let it steep for a short time. Squeeze lemons over the sugar. Peel very thinly 18 lemons and pour the boiling hot tea over the peels. Let it stand 5 minutes, then strain and pour tea over sugar and lemon juice. When sugar is entirely dissolved add whisky and rum and strain again. When ready to use add oranges, pineapples (cut in dice shape), Maraschino cherries, or any other fruit you may like. Some persons like curocoa in it also. Put this punch mixture in the punch bowl with a large lump of ice. This quantity will serve twenty-five people.

Recipe from “Colonial Recipes, from Old Virginia and Maryland Manors: With Numerous Legends and Traditions Interwoven” by Maude A. Bomberger