A Bicentennial Toast To Dickens

Oct. 4, 2011 - PRLog -- Charles Dickens’ 200th birthday is coming up this February, and fans around the world have begun preparing tributes in his honor. Like many Dickens institutions and enthusiasts, Red Rock Press proudly celebrates this great writer and proposes a toast with the unveiling of its new website, www.ADickensChristmas.com, as well as a recipe for the ideal drink for that toast: Dickens’ own rum and brandy punch, as printed in 1847.

Born in 1812, Dickens became the most popular writer of his time with a series of novels that still entertain millions of readers today. He is perhaps best known for his affiliation with Christmas and his most famous tale, “A Christmas Carol,” and can be considered in many ways to be the father of modern Christmas as we know it through his popularization of such traditions as gift-giving and decoration.

However, “A Christmas Carol” came along years after the publication of Dickens’ first yuletide tale, “A Christmas Dinner,” which came out in 1835. “A Christmas Dinner” was later reprinted by Red Rock Press with commentary from Peter Ackroyd (the foremost Dickens’ biographer) and updated Christmas recipes from famed culinary historian Alice Ross. More info can be found at www.ADickensChristmas.com.

To get into the bicentennial birthday spirit, we are happy to share this recipe for Charles Dickens’ Own Punch accompanied by Alice Ross’ update of the brew for the modern cook.

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Charles Dickens’ Own Punch

“Juice and thinly peeled rind of 3 lemons; 2 good handfuls of lump sugar; 1 quart boiling water; 1 pt. old rum; 1 or 2 large wineglasses brandy.”
~The Dickensian I, (18 January, 1847)

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Brandy Punch (For the Modern Cook)

3 lemons
1 cup sugar
1 quart boiling water
1 pint of aged rum
6 – 7 ounces brandy
A large chunk of ice

Thinly peel off zest of the lemons and squeeze out their juice. Place juice and zest in punch bowl. Add boiling water, sugar, rum and brandy, and stir for a minute. Add a large chunk of ice to the bowl. Serve well-chilled by the dipper-full.
~Alice Ross

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Daniel Kleinman
Red Rock Press
Daniel@RedRockPress.com
212-362-8304