Trollied Tuesday: a jug of punch

Winter is setting in and I've been suffering under a vile cold for the last few days. What finally cured it was a hot whiskey toddy and a couple of Lemsip chasers: but really the whiskey was what swung the balance.

And yet I fear that the art of making a really first-rate hot punch is a dying one. Cold punch admittedly is holding up somewhat (what else is Pimm's after all? - remember that you can make your own). However, when it comes to winter the Victorians would have thought nothing of rustling up a reviving brew with hot water, fruit, spices and plenty of booze, but it seems too much effort for people these days. Yet the only thing one encounters these days is mulled wine at Christmas-time. But as a service to you all, here are a couple suggestions should you too be in need of the healing properties of strong drink.

Brandy Punch.

Take the peel of two lemons, cinamon, mace, nutmeg and cloves. Add to three quarters of a pound of sugar and half a pint of boiling water. Simmer it then strain. Add a bottle of brandy and the juice of two lemons. Stir well and set on fire.

Riga Black Balsam has also been recommended to me as a paliative. The Latvians told me that it goes well with hot blackcurrant juice, it's also good with coffee, sugar and cream. But really I don't think those are getting the full benefits. A mixture of Black Balsam, Night Nurse (or tincture of laudanum), Ziguli Beer, Buckfast and hot blackcurrant would, I think, be more like it.