This month, Gastro Obscura is looking at wondrous wintertime cocktails. Our last recipe was clarified milk punch, a 400-year-old concoction that turns creamy ingredients crystal-clear. For party guests in 19th-century London, Charles Dickens appearing with his punch bowl was the Victorian equivalent of a modern host breaking out his acoustic guitar. Whether his guests were ready or not, it was showtime. To Dickens, punch was more than simple party fare. It was a ritual that blended the author’s love for theater, storytelling, and the warm conviviality of a bygone era….
