Cooking Through ENGLAND: Wassail Punch!

I have mentioned that I'm on a blogging break, haven't I?

(In all seriousness, I am. On a break. Really. I just don't want to fall behind the have-to posts, so I'm stopping by briefly. Then I'll leave. Really.)

I was eager to try Wassail Punch, because I've never had it. I wasn't disappointed - it was lovely!! A delightful spiced apple cider, with lots of citrus overtones. Give it a try!

(This was a non-alcoholic version, so it may or may not be true to the actual historical version.)

English Wassail Punch 5 quarts of apple cider (I cheated and used part apple juice) 7 Tbsp. brown sugar 3 sliced oranges (I used two) 4 whole cloves (I used more)  1/4 tsp. each nutmeg and cinnamon 2 bananas, sliced In large kettle or crockpot, heat cider slowly with sugar, sliced oranges, and spices until it is almost at a boil. (I used a crockpot and slightly adjusted all of the ingredients, as it only held four quarts.) Pour into a punch bowl if desired (or just serve from kettle or crockpot) and slice bananas into it. Serve hot.

One funny note - I made this twice last week. On the second occasion, upon noticing that I had an extra apple cider spice packet on hand, I blithely tossed that in too. If a little spice is good, more is better, right? Only problem - I ended up with so many cloves in the cider that several unsuspecting guests ended up with somewhat numb mouths - a side-effect that I had never before heard of. 'Ware the cloves, people - 'ware the cloves.

But other than that - 

Enjoy!

As a side-note, make sure to check out the lovely Christmas songs that go along with this delightful drink! There is the well-known:

The Wassail Song (link to lyrics)

Here we come a-wassailing
Among the leaves so green,
Here we come a-wand'ring
So fair to be seen.
Love and joy come to you,
And to you your wassail, too,
And God bless you, and send you
A Happy New Year,
And God send you a Happy New Year.

We are not daily beggers
That beg from door to door,
But we are neighbors' children
Whom you have seen before
Love and joy come to you,
And to you your wassail, too,
And God bless you, and send you
A Happy New Year,
And God send you a Happy New Year.

Good master and good mistress,
As you sit beside the fire,
Pray think of us poor children
Who wander in the mire.
Love and joy come to you,
And to you your wassail, too,
And God bless you, and send you
A Happy New Year,
And God send you a Happy New Year

We have a little purse
Made of ratching leather skin;
We want some of your small change
To line it well within.
Love and joy come to you,
And to you your wassail, too,
And God bless you, and send you
A Happy New Year,
And God send you a Happy New Year.

Bring us out a table
And spread it with a cloth;
Bring us out a cheese,
And of your Christmas loaf.
Love and joy come to you,
And to you your wassail, too,
And God bless you, and send you
A Happy New Year,
And God send you a Happy New Year.

God bless the master of this house,
Likewise the mistress too;
And all the little children
That round the table go.
Love and joy come to you,
And to you your wassail, too,
And God bless you, and send you
A Happy New Year,
And God send you a Happy New Year.

Here is a lovely instrumental version by everybody's favorite, Canadian Brass, followed by a great organ/handbells/voice version of the same:



And the lesser-known Gloucestershire Wassail - one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs:

The Gloucestershire Wassail (link to lyrics)

Wassail! wassail! all over the town,
Our toast it is white and our ale it is brown;
Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree;
With the wassailing bowl, we'll drink to thee.

Here's to our horse, and to his right ear,
God send our master a happy new year:
A happy new year as e'er he did see,
With my wassailing bowl I drink to thee.

So here is to Cherry and to his right cheek
Pray God send our master a good piece of beef
And a good piece of beef that may we all see
With the wassailing bowl, we'll drink to thee.

Here's to our mare, and to her right eye,
God send our mistress a good Christmas pie;
A good Christmas pie as e'er I did see,
With my wassailing bowl I drink to thee.

So here is to Broad Mary and to her broad horn
May God send our master a good crop of corn
And a good crop of corn that may we all see
With the wassailing bowl, we'll drink to thee.

And here is to Fillpail and to her left ear
Pray God send our master a happy New Year
And a happy New Year as e'er he did see
With the wassailing bowl, we'll drink to thee.

Here's to our cow, and to her long tail,
God send our master us never may fail
Of a cup of good beer: I pray you draw near,
And our jolly wassail it's then you shall hear.

Come butler, come fill us a bowl of the best
Then we hope that your soul in heaven may rest
But if you do draw us a bowl of the small
Then down shall go butler, bowl and all.

Be here any maids? I suppose here be some;
Sure they will not let young men stand on the cold stone!
Sing hey O, maids! come trole back the pin,
And the fairest maid in the house let us all in.

Then here's to the maid in the lily white smock
Who tripped to the door and slipped back the lock
Who tripped to the door and pulled back the pin
For to let these jolly wassailers in.

Seriously, folks - is there anything about England that's NOT to love?

Enjoy!