Orgeat Punch
I was flipping through Jerry Thomas’ Bon Vivant’s Companion looking for another recipe when I came across this recipe for Orgeat Punch. I thought I’d share it here. Sweet almond syrup, brandy, and a port wine float.
One of the main ingredients here, of course, is orgeat. Orgeat is a sweet, nutty syrup flavoured with a touch of orange blossom water. Orgeat has been used in cocktails for a very long time, as evidenced by the fact that I found this recipe in a recipe book from the 1800s. It really found its home, however, in tropical and tiki drinks.
What makes this recipe interesting is that it is a very classic punch recipe from the late 19th century. As such, it bears little resemblance to the extravagant of the world of Tiki drinks. It’s a mix of brandy, orgeat and lemon juice and orgeat syrup topped with a port wine float.
Punch is a very early form of cocktail. If you look at the recipe you’ll see that it bears some resemblance to a sour cocktail recipe. The similarity in ingredients and structure makes it easy to assume that punch might be a precursor to the sour and its various offspring.
Cocktail historian David Wondrich call the sour and its many variations “the children of punch”. So, I suppose punch is another one of those recipes you could consider a mother recipe.
Orgeat Syrup Recipe
Orgeat syrup can be difficult to find commercially. There are several commercially available versions out there, but if you’re having trouble finding it we have a recipe here. Also, lets face it, if you really want to know how something works making it yourself is a great place to start.
Orgeat Punch
- 1 1/2 oz brandy
- 3/4 oz orgeat syrup
- 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
- port wine float
- fresh seasonal berries for garnish
- Fill a julep glass or a Collins glass with crushed ice.
- Combine brandy, lemon juice and orgeat in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds.
- Strain into prepared glass.
- Float port wine on top of cocktail.
- Garnish with fresh berries.