A Taste of Georgia, a cookbook producd by the Newnan Junior Service League of Newnan, GA, is a a much-prized community cookbook. This fifteenth printing from 1994 is a Southern Living Hall of Fame edition. Like all community cookbooks, it contains recipes submitted by home cooks, in this case from all over the country. While it all looks yummy, the chapter that particularly caught our eye were the holiday beverage recipes.
Couture cocktails being in vogue, we thought it might be interesting to look back to what we were serving in 1977 when this cookbook originated. We present some spirited and non-spirited holiday beverage recipes for your approval. Which one looks good to you?
What vintage lover doesn’t imagine themselves wearing a vintage ski sweater curled up in front of a cozy fire, reading a vintage novel and sipping a Hot Buttered Rum. There are lots of recipes for sure, but we love this one that starts with a frozen batter. You add 2-3 tablespoons of the butter, sugar, ice cream mix to a jigger of rum and add hot water to fill the cup. A container of the frozen batter and a bottle of good rum would be an excellent and unexpected holiday gift for your non tea-totaler friends.
Eggnog is a classic among holiday beverage recipes. While we will deign to drink store bought eggnog, we know it does not compare with the freshly made stuff. (We had something called “custard milk” that came in a glass bottle last year because the market was sold out of eggnog and it was definitely tastier than supermarket eggnog.) We love that this recipe is another that involves ice cream.
Eggnog involves raw eggs and salmonella is always a possibility. Who wants to be known as the host that gave family and friends salmonella poisoning? This recipe claims the alcohol will cook the egg yolks, but the University of Minnesota Extension service calls balderdash on that. They say “Eggs must be cooked to 160 degrees F to kill bacteria such as Salmonella. Adding alcohol inhibits bacterial growth, but it cannot be relied upon to kill bacteria.” The Extension service offers a way to cook the mixture to keep it safe.
This Champagne Punch recipe sets itself apart with the fresh lemon juice. There’s plenty of sweetness to temper the sour, including the powdered sugar sprinkled on top. Let’s talk about that powdered sugar, is it confectioner’s sugar? We don’t think so. Confectioner’s sugar is ultrafine granulated sugar that has cornstarch or flour added. If you think about sprinkling that over liquid, the first thought is it will not integrate itself, it will float around in unattractive little clumps. We think the proper choice is to take regular sugar and pulverize it to powder. Difford’s Guide agrees that this correct for cocktail use. They suggest crunching granulated sugar with a mortar and pestle, but you could also probably use caster sugar, which is ground to a size between granulated and confectioner’s sugar.
If you don’t have a punch bowl, don’t fear. Thrift stores usually have rows of vintage punch bowls for not much cash. Anchor Hocking and other glass companies made millions of them in the 50s and 60s that are still in excellent condition because they were used once a year.
Can you imagine how delicious this Wassail smells cooking slowly in your crockpot? Although a punch bowl would be the proper way to serve this as suggested, it would be less festive and more functional to serve it from the crockpot. But it would look absolutely stunning in a metal punch bowl, perhaps with orange slices floating in the top (although there’s nothing orange in the recipe).
Spiced tea with this much fruit juice could quickly become a holiday tradition, particularly for a brunch. Again, can you imagine how delicious this smells when it’s simmering?
This Instant Russian Tea recipe is awesome because 1) it’s easy to make and keep on hand; 2) it makes a great holiday gift; and 3) it is made with Tang.
For those with no fond Tang memories, it is an orange powdered drink that was introduced by General Foods in 1959. It was used by the NASA crews on Mercury and Gemini flights, which meant it became a staple in many American homes. Who wouldn’t want to drink what the astronauts drink? There is nothing about it that correlates to proper orange juice, nonetheless it became a breakfast beverage of choice. It is still available. Though it’s made in other flavors, we are sure the orange flavor is the one the recipe author means.
You can find instant tea, not iced tea mix, at most supermarkets, but it will take some looking.
A festive beverage can turn any gathering into a festive gathering. We hope these vintage holiday beverage recipes give you some inspiration.
